Traveling to the United States can definitely be an exciting adventure, but unexpected medical emergencies can quickly turn the trip of a lifetime into a financial headache.
Since the United States does not have universal healthcare, visitors to the United States will be left paying out-of-pocket for medical expenses if they don’t have travel medical insurance or have additional expenses that aren’t eligible for coverage to pay for.
Understanding how the healthcare system in the U.S. works and what your options are for paying medical bills as a visitor can relieve your stress and prepare you to handle your medical bills with confidence.
What Insurance Options Do Visitors to the US Have?
First and foremost, having health insurance coverage during your visit to the United States is crucial to avoid the heavy burden that expensive medical bills can be if you need to seek medical care during your trip.
The United States has some of the most expensive medical costs in the world, so traveling to the U.S. without coverage can be extremely risky.
Visitors to the U.S. can opt for travel medical insurance, often referred to as visitors insurance, which can provide coverage for emergency medical expenses for new illnesses or injuries that occur while you are in the U.S.
While no one wants to think the worst will happen during their travels, having protection just in case the unexpected occurs is an absolute vital safeguard for visitors to avoid hefty medical bills.
Will Travel Insurance Cover All of Your U.S. Medical Bills?
Travel medical insurance is designed to cover eligible medical bills associated with emergency medical care that you need to receive during your stay in the U.S. for any new illnesses or injuries.
Whether or not travel insurance will cover all of your medical bills will depend on your injury or illness, possible exclusions in your plan, and the type of plan you choose.
A comprehensive travel medical insurance plan is highly recommended for visitors to the U.S., as opposed to a limited travel medical insurance plan, as it offers percentage-based coverage and minimizes out-of-pocket costs. Most comprehensive travel medical insurance plans can cover up to 100% of eligible medical expenses.
As you browse travel medical insurance plans, be sure to look through policy documents and brochures to understand coverage details, any possible exclusions, and what your medical coverage will look like.
What to Do If You Have U.S. Medical Bills as a Visitor
If you find yourself having to pay out-of-pocket for medical care in the United States as a visitor, it is important to know that you have options.
Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind that will help you better navigate your medical bills in the U.S., especially if they are hefty.
You Can Try to Negotiate Your Bills
While not necessarily disclosed by healthcare providers, most will be open to communication with patients in order to negotiate down medical bills for payment.
Patients can contact a hospital or healthcare provider’s finance department or customer service line to receive assistance with discussing bill options.
Public, or non-profit healthcare providers, may be more willing to negotiate medical bills versus a private or for-profit provider. Regardless, however, you can still attempt to discuss your bill amount with the provider to try and lower your costs to something more affordable.
Communication Is Key
The most important thing to remember when it comes to your medical bills is communication with the healthcare provider. Good communication can go a long way when it comes to discussing your payment options.
With your permission, you can also bring your sponsor or trusted family member or friend in the United States to assist you with negotiating or discussing payment options. This can make the situation more comfortable for you, and can also solve any potential language barriers.
By being honest with the healthcare provider and communicating in a calm and respectful manner, you can get a better opportunity to reduce your bills or come to a payment agreement.
You Can Ask For Your Bill to be Waived
After opening up a conversation with a healthcare provider, you can ask if it is possible to waive your medical bill altogether if you have no means of paying anything towards it.
Typically, in this situation, you could be asked for proof that you are not able to pay for your bill. Honesty is the best policy, so it is crucial to fulfill any requests by the healthcare provider to improve your chances of a completely or partially waived bill in the face of financial hardship.
If the bill cannot be completely waived, you may be eligible to waive a portion of your bill. The best course of action is to be straightforward about your financial situation and what you can afford, so that you and the healthcare provider can work together on a realistic solution.
Payment Plans Typically Aren’t Available for Visitors
Another thing to keep in mind when it comes to having medical bills as a visitor in the United States is that typically, non-U.S. residents will not be eligible for payment plans.
This means that you will have to pay for your medical bills in one lump sum, which makes having health coverage even more crucial for visitors.
However, negotiating your bills, if possible, can help reduce the lump sum amount to remove some of the financial stress that comes with medical costs.
Having Travel Health Insurance Can Help!
To hopefully avoid going through this process altogether, consider getting travel medical insurance for your trip to the United States.
A comprehensive travel medical insurance plan can provide you with the emergency medical coverage you need to be protected in the event of an unexpected ailment.
Ready to get insured for your U.S. trip? Browse our travel medical insurance plans or contact our Customer Success Team for friendly assistance.
