The advantages and disadvantages of buying health insurances in the U.S.A

By Jua

When foreigners try to settle in the U.S.A, they have many things to do and to choose. One of them is buying a health insurance. They have to decide whether to buy a health insurance and if so, what kind of insurance they should buy. However that decision is very difficult because insurance fee in the U.S.A is more expensive than any other countries and many foreigners stay in the U.S.A for 1~3 years. So I plan to compare two cases by interviews and hope it will be helpful for you to figure out the advantages and disadvantages of buying health insurance.


Part I - Interview with Shirley who has health insurance

Q. Why did you buy health insurance?

A. Because my husband has a full time job, he could buy family health insurance through his company. If someone has a full time job, it will be a good opportunity to have health insurance because insurance through the company is cheaper than private insurance.


Q. What is the benefit you’ve experienced with health insurance?

A. American medical expense is very expensive. But with insurance I paid usually $10 as a copay per visit and prescription was usually less than it. Another benefit is that you can choose any doctor whoever you want in the hospitals where accept your insurance plan.


Q. Would you recommend buying health insurance to people who plan to live in the U.S.A for 1~3 years?

A. Sure. Even if you live in here for short period, somebody of your family may get a cancer. If so, a chemotherapy fee is $20,000~$30,000 and you must pay more than $1,000 per each treatment without insurance. When you go to an emergency room or a doctor office, first thing they ask you is “Do you have health insurance?”. Some doctor office will not accept you if you don’t have insurance because it is important thing for hospitals.


Q. Would you recommend buying health insurance to people who plan to live in the U.S.A for the rest of their life?

A. Yes. Even if you are very healthy and you will not cause any car accident, somebody may hit your car and you may be injured. Also even if your deductible is very high, for example $500, health insurance still help you because a lot of medical expense cost over $5,000.



Part II - Interview with Michelle who doesn’t have health insurance


Q. Why don’t you buy health insurance?

A. Because it is very expensive. It would cost around $250~$400 per month. That is about the half of what I pay rent. It’s crazy.


Q. What is the difficulty you’ve experienced without health insurance?

A. First thing, I feel like I can’t sick. So whenever I get in my car, I pray nothing’s going to happen. I worry about having an accident. Also I really try to stay healthy – to eat health food, to exercise, to do everything I can be healthy. When I go to a doctor office without insurance, they give a little bit discount, but it is $10 or less and doctor visit cost usually $170. If I know my problem after visiting a doctor, I will go to a specialist. But if not, I will get many tests and one test may cost $1,000 at least.


Q. Would you recommend buying health insurance to people who plan to live in the U.S.A for 1~3 years?

A. If you’re healthy and don’t have any health problem, it’s O.K without insurance. But if you are not healthy and you have a medical condition and serious illness or if you have a plan to be pregnant, buying health insurance is better than without insurance.


Q. Would you recommend buying health insurance to people who plan to live in the U.S.A for the rest of their life?

A. If someone is working and have children, health insurance is good. Because children get hurt, get sick easily and if you continue working, you need to stay healthy.


Q,. Do you have a plan to buy health insurance?

A. If price go down, I’ll buy it. But right now it’s very expensive. It’s not fair. Doctors or hospitals don’t get money, money is going to insurance companies. Even if you have health insurance, when you really sick, for example-you get a cancer, insurance companies try to change insurance plan and not to cover you.