With summer winding down and a new academic year beginning in most schools now, a lot of the travel outside of the US is coming to a slow stop. However, travel into the US continues, and family members especially parents coming to visit their children in the US has been steady. Parents and grandparents comprise a significant percentage of those traveling from countries like India and China to the US.
While that be the case, the complexity and high cost of health care in the US continues to be at an all-time high. And those visiting from other countries do not always comprehend the extent of the expenses associated with medical care in the US. The Trump administration emphasized that anyone who may become a ‘public charge’ and depend upon the many US welfare options will not be eligible to either enter the US or subsequently apply for a green card. He also signed a memorandum that requires sponsors of family members coming to the US accountable and responsible for all expenses related to their medical and financial needs when in the US. Having visitors medical insurance is the best safety net in times like this.
Top Reasons Why Visitors Medical Insurance is a Must for Parents
In order to counter such expenses, both foreseen and unforeseen it becomes to protect all visitors, especially aging parents with visitors health insurance. Visitors insurance is critical for all travelers visiting the US – including senior parents – for the following reasons:
- Your parents deserve to have high-quality medical care. Do not compromise on quality because they were not insured timely and end up accessing sub-standard medical care.
- The US healthcare system is very expensive – a single trip to the hospital can bankrupt most families. In the bigger scheme of things, visitors insurance is relatively inexpensive when compared to the risk of having a medical problem while visiting the US.
- As a legal resident, you may be held legally liable for the medical expenses incurred by those visiting you.
- Simple accidents happen all the time – especially when unfamiliar with the surroundings – and a trip to the emergency room can mean thousands of dollars. The US healthcare system requires payment for services and without an insurance plan you will have to pay for medical treatment out of your pocket.
If you are planning on bringing your parents over to the US, compare different visitors health insurance plans best suited to them
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- If you have to be evacuated back to your home country for medical treatment, your insurance provider will coordinate and pay for the evacuation.
- An illness can happen anytime – the stress of travel, different surroundings, weather changes and more can cause your parent’s immune system to weaken and they get sick. If your parent must go to the hospital, the bill that results could jeopardize your financial security and your sponsorship without insurance to cover it.
- Those legally living and working in the US have the opportunity and responsibility to buy health insurance, but that insurance cannot protect visitors to the United States. Visitors to the US cannot be added to a health insurance plan paid for by those living and working in the US.
- As a parent visiting the US, and accessing any of the US welfare cash assistance programs or Medicaid options without proper eligibility can lead to severe penalties including deportation and being debarred from reentering the US.
In addition, having a good travel medical insurance policy means true peace of mind. One that covers your parents for medical and travel emergencies ensures that you – and they – can trust that their visit to the US, while not risk-free, will be free of the potential for financial disasters.