H4 Visa Health Insurance: The Complete Guide

You have a world of opportunities waiting for you. You moved to the U.S. with either your spouse or parent who holds an H1 visa. Your H4 visa grants you many rights in the U.S., but you need to set a couple of things in order to live life at full speed. Choosing the right health insurance plan for your life is one of the first and most important decisions you need to make.

Did you know there are health insurance options specifically designed for H4 visa health insurance needs? Take a look at the options below to select the best H4 visa health insurance plan for your needs.

Is There Health Insurance for H4 Visa Holders?

You are now living and possibly working (with the rights granted from an Employment Authorization Document) in a foreign country. The conventional health insurance plans you have been looking at may perhaps not take your needs as a visa holder into account. You might be wondering if you are even eligible for H4 visa health insurance, as you don’t fully have the rights and privileges that a U.S. citizen has.

You’ll be delighted to know that as an H4 visa holder, you are eligible for health insurance in the U.S.

Why H4 Visa Holders Need Health Insurance

Why do you need it? Isn’t health insurance for daredevils and adrenaline junkies? The truth is, everyone needs health insurance for unforeseen medical emergencies. Health insurance is pretty much like a spare wheel. You only look for it when you need it, and then it better be ready to operate.

Unforeseen medical expenses can add up quickly and your cash flow or available savings should not be the factor that determines the level of assistance you receive when you most need it. You might have health insurance back home but your health insurance service from your home country might not supply coverage for the time you spend in the U.S. So as an H4 visa holder, it is important to make sure you are properly covered for your time in the U.S.

What Does H4 Visa Health Insurance Cover?

Different plans cover different things. Some plans are designed for people who travel a lot and have many extra benefits. Other plans only cover basic medical related expenses. Here is a short list of the possible expenses which H4 visa health insurance will cover:

• Unexpected medical expenses – The medical expenses for sudden illnesses, injuries, and sometimes pre-existing conditions.
• Supplemental travel expenses – Expenses regarding the loss of your checked luggage by your carrier. Under certain circumstances, the travel expenses during the interruption of a trip because of the death of an immediate relative are also covered.
• Emergency reunion or bedside visit expenses – Some providers may cover the costs of one relative living abroad to come to the U.S. and visit you when you are confined to an intensive care unit or you’ve been evacuated for medical purposes. This is only when your condition or illness is covered by the health insurance plan.
• Expenses due to death – In the unfortunate event of your death, some providers will cover your cremation, burial and or repatriation expenses of your remains back to your home country. Some plans include an Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) benefit towards your beneficiaries.
• Travel assistance services – Multilingual customer service centers assist you in the challenges experienced when traveling abroad. Like recommendations for legal help, medical facilities, assistance with lost or stolen identity documents, and more issues of the like.

Keep in mind some of these costs are only reimbursed after it was paid for. You’ll need to follow the claim procedure set out by your health insurance provider and produce proof of these costs before they will cover the applicable expenses. It is important to understand the plan you choose and to make sure you know how to claim from your insurance provider.

H4 Visa Health Insurance Options

Let’s get to the part that matters most. Who do you choose? Which companies can you research to find the solution you need? Here are 4 great options you can consider. Each company has different maximum coverage amounts with corresponding monthly installments. We’ll look at the lowest and the highest coverage amount for each plan. This should give you an idea of what you can expect to pay per month. Please research these plans in your own time to find the combination of terms and conditions that suit your needs the best.

Please note the following parameters placed on this case study to determine the monthly costs for each plan. Each of the plans has a zero deductible on it. A deductible is a cost you need to cover yourself before your insurance provider will cover the rest. Adding a deductible option to your plan will lower your monthly cost, but it requires you to make a payment before your insurer will cover the rest. The monthly costs are calculated as if the client is the average 55-year-old.

Visa USA Standard

Travel Insure offers the Visa USA Standard plan. They have two maximum coverage amounts with their corresponding monthly costs. It consists of the following:

Maximum coverage:

• $75,000 – $127.10 per month
• $200,000 – $174.80 per month

Patriot America Plus

International Medical Group offers the Patriot America Plus. They have multiple maximum amounts (we have selected the lowest and highest amounts for now). This plan has the option to cover expenses due to pre-existing medical conditions. We have activated it to determine the monthly cost.

Maximum coverage:

• $50,000 – $142.50 per month
• $1,000,000 – $260.85 per month

Atlas America

Tokio Marine HCC provides the Atlas America plan. They also have multiple maximum coverage amounts. We have selected the lowest and highest amounts for now.

Maximum coverage:

• $50,000 – $147.90 per month
• $2,000,000 – $313.20 per month

Inbound Immigrant Plan A

Seven Corners offers the Inbound Immigrant Plan A. Their maximum coverage amounts are lower but they are the cheapest of the four options mentioned here.

Maximum coverage:

• $50,000 – $67.40 per month
• $130,000 – $109.70 per month

It’s very important that you realize these prices are determined upon the average statistics of a 55-year-old person. Your unique profile and medical report will determine the prices offered to you by the insurers. The cheapest plan might also not be the best option for you. Every plan has different terms and conditions. You need to find a plan that covers your situation and needs the best.

How to Apply for H4 Visa Health Insurance

You are eligible for H4 visa health insurance if you have an H4 visa. There are wonderful online resources to serve as a guide to H4 visas.

Applying for health insurance is almost like applying for an H4 visa loan. There are some simple eligibility criteria. You need to contact health insurance providers and request quotes to determine what your specific cost will be.

Use the links above to make contact with the different companies. Contact their customer service or sales departments and ask for a consultant to create a quote tailor-made to your profile. Or you can create your own virtual quote by completing the online questionnaire set out by the health insurance provider to determine the plan best suited to your needs (if you feel you are able to).

Make contact with the health insurance providers you prefer and shop around. Get multiple quotes and compare them to find the best. Find the cheapest plan which covers all your medical needs.

Conclusion

You don’t have to live in the U.S. without health insurance. Even people on H4 visas are eligible for it. Shop around and find the best H4 visa health insurance plans today and choose the best one for your needs. You don’t want to be caught by unforeseen medical circumstances without having the peace of mind provided by proper health insurance.

Frank Gogol

I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.

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