A typical international student's first decision associated with healthcare insurance is usually when he/she purchases an Opt health insurance plan. OPT insurance is insurance for an international student on an F-1 visa (and his/her dependents) when undergoing OPT, usually a 12- or 29-month employment period meant for the international student to gain practical knowledge in his/her field of study.
OPT insurance works like a typical short-term health insurance plan, and you can use it to get coverage for you and your dependent during the temporary OPT period. It is mainly used for unplanned medical issues.
The OPT period is unique in that the international student is between a full-time student status and a full-time employment status. Schools likely do not offer the sponsored rate for a student under OPT, if at all they offer insurance, and Optional practical training insurance steps in neatly to fill the insurance gap that is dangerous in the United States.
You are however, not required by law to have insurance when under OPT period (yet), and the choice of whether to purchase insurance is entirely up to you. However, remember the high costs of U.S. healthcare, and remember that one accident or medical incident can scar your life forever.
Some of the typical benefits offered by OPT insurance include inpatient and outpatient care, emergency medical assistance, ambulance services, dental expenses (excluding routine care), emergency medical evacuation, accidental death and dismemberment, as well as repatriation of remains. Most plans also cover prescription drugs for new ailments.
Being a short-term insurance plan, optional practical training insurance typically excludes maternity benefits and routine eye and dental exams. Most OPT insurance plans also exclude pre-existing conditions; however, it is possible to find plans with look-back periods as short as one year.
You can choose maximum coverage from a range: $25,000 to $1 million. You can also choose from a range of deductibles higher deductibles usually reducing the premium. The plan duration depends on how long you want to be covered, and can be purchased for five days to one year.
An international student must choose OPT insurance wisely, considering future plans as well. Students planning to return home after their OPT period runs out will do well with the one-year plan, and those who are hoping to receive permanent employment and consequently, employer-sponsored insurance, might want to purchase insurance monthly, or for three months at a time.
OPT insurance works like a typical short-term health insurance plan, and you can use it to get coverage for you and your dependent during the temporary OPT period. It is mainly used for unplanned medical issues.
The OPT period is unique in that the international student is between a full-time student status and a full-time employment status. Schools likely do not offer the sponsored rate for a student under OPT, if at all they offer insurance, and Optional practical training insurance steps in neatly to fill the insurance gap that is dangerous in the United States.
You are however, not required by law to have insurance when under OPT period (yet), and the choice of whether to purchase insurance is entirely up to you. However, remember the high costs of U.S. healthcare, and remember that one accident or medical incident can scar your life forever.
Some of the typical benefits offered by OPT insurance include inpatient and outpatient care, emergency medical assistance, ambulance services, dental expenses (excluding routine care), emergency medical evacuation, accidental death and dismemberment, as well as repatriation of remains. Most plans also cover prescription drugs for new ailments.
Being a short-term insurance plan, optional practical training insurance typically excludes maternity benefits and routine eye and dental exams. Most OPT insurance plans also exclude pre-existing conditions; however, it is possible to find plans with look-back periods as short as one year.
You can choose maximum coverage from a range: $25,000 to $1 million. You can also choose from a range of deductibles higher deductibles usually reducing the premium. The plan duration depends on how long you want to be covered, and can be purchased for five days to one year.
An international student must choose OPT insurance wisely, considering future plans as well. Students planning to return home after their OPT period runs out will do well with the one-year plan, and those who are hoping to receive permanent employment and consequently, employer-sponsored insurance, might want to purchase insurance monthly, or for three months at a time.
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