When you purchase visitors health insurance for travel to the United States, you might be confused by all the insurance terms that you come across. This is especially true if you are purchasing health insurance for the first time. However, health insurance is quite simple to understand once you get a hang of how it works.
First, if you fall ill when traveling in the U.S., you will probably visit a physician. Usually, the insurance portion kicks in after the expenses exceed a certain amount. This is basically to eliminate claims of very small denominations, which the plan holder can afford by himself.
Let’s say you have purchased a visitors health insurance plan with a deductible amount of $500. If you fall down a flight of stairs, and have a shooting pain in your leg, you will visit a doctor to figure out what the problem is. Now, the first $500 of your treatment will have to be borne by you entirely. If the doctor says it is just a sprain and suggests some over-the-counter pills, you pay the doctor and don’t have to bother the insurance company at all.
There are plans which feature a zero deductible. While this may seem like a good idea, remember that the higher the deductible, the lower the premium you pay. The best thing to do is to figure out how much you can afford in terms of the deductible and the premium, and choose the most appropriate plan.