Expatriate insurance, which to choose? – French Morning

(Partner Article). Live in the United States without health insurance? A very bad idea! The cost of health is seven to ten times higher than in France and health debts are the first cause of personal bankruptcy in the country.

Before you buy medical insurance, here are some tips to make the best choice.

Clauses to watch for in a US health insurance contract

– The level ofdeductible"(Or franchise): This is usually the amount that will need to be covered by you even before the insurance starts to pay you back.

– The co-payments : These are also deductibles that apply more for medical visits, the costs of certain laboratories or medical examinations and medical prescriptions.

– The co-insurance, or "cost sharing" corresponds to the level of reimbursement of the insurance.

– The " Maximum Out Of Pocket " this is the maximum amount you can incur each year.

Choosing a local or international insurance

Both are possible but a careful calculation has to be done to find the most profitable formula. The choice depends greatly on your income, your family situation, your residence time in the United States as well as the nature of your visa.

The advantages of international insurance compared to American local insurance:

• Global coverage versus local coverage valid only in the US or some US states for US insurance contracts.
• No applicable deductible
• No co-payment or deductible (only maximum reimbursement may apply for certain types of care)
• A level of identical guarantees that you consult inside the insurer's network or not
• Choosing your doctor or hospital

ACA (Affordable Care Act) or Obamacare Compliant Health Insurance Contracts

Insurance products "Obamacare compliant", may have advantages over international insurance. International insurance contracts may exclude pre-existing medical conditions, or apply waiting periods (or waiting periods) before certain guarantees, including maternity benefits, come into effect.

In addition, some insurances have a restricted network which may limit you in the choice of your doctors.

CFE

Depending on your expatriation situation, you may also have to choose the CFE, the Caisse des Français from abroad. Known to be the safety of French expatriates, it allows you to benefit from the same reimbursement rate as Social Security in France. Of course, in the USA, while the costs of medicine can be 10 times higher than the costs of medicine in France, it is absolutely necessary to add a complementary health.

What is the price of an expatriate insurance USA?

Depending on the state of residence, costs may vary, but on average it is around $ 500 a month for a single person and about $ 1,500 a month for a family.

Of course, some insurance can be cheaper if you place the slider deductible, maximum out of pocket, co-insurance … to the maximum.

But beware, in case of hospitalization the final score can be high because the deductible and co-insurance will first apply even before your insurance takes over. Example: For a hospitalization of $ 10,000 if your deductible is $ 5,000 / year and your co-insurance is 40%, you will only be reimbursed $ 3,000.

The main advantages of expatriate insurance are to benefit from negotiated rates and personalized advice. In some countries it may be obsolete, but in the United States, where the system is both expensive and complex, good advice is worth gold.

With AGORAEXPAT, you benefit from a real human advice delivered by specialized interlocutors who will help you to subscribe to the best benefits to which you are entitled according to your personal situation. Find out now how much you can save while enjoying quality insurance coverage.

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Note: "Partner Articles" are not articles in French Morning's editorial staff. They are provided by or written to the order of an advertiser who determines the content.