Health Insurance

[RUSHBURY]

Hi

Can anyone give me an idea of how much it costs for health insurance?
Also if the premiums are very high for pre-existing conditions - in particular - very mild Mulstiple Sclerosis.

Thanks
Helen

[blott]

Hi Helen

If you have a pre-existing condition, then either your premiums are going to be loaded and the condition may be excluded from cover or you may not be able to get insurance at all. I was quoted a premium of $18k per year with a pre-existing condition and that didn't include cover for the condition and a high deductible (ie most health insurances in the US are you pay a percentage for any treatment and the insurance company pays the remainder). As far as I remember it was for 60% for the insurance company to pay and for me to pay 40%.

Have a look on a search engine for expats insurance which you can take out before you go to live in the USA to see if any of these may be suitable for you.

[esprit]

HIGH!!! We are perfectly healthy and pay $150 per month each but with a $5000 excess, ie we pay the first $5000 ourslevs. So it really only covers us for hospitalisation. You can only get expats inusrance for the first year. They wont cover you on US imsurance as you have no health history. They wait and see if you conk out in the first year before they will insure you. We have expats insurance with Global.