Living in the US for a year...with diabetes?!

[alphabetsoup]

Hi,

Wondered if anyone could offer me a bit of advice about the US health service and any assistance I would be entitled to from the UK and the NHS if I was to live in America for a year.

I'm just about to start a degree in Civil Engineering and there is a fantastic opportunty to study for one year of my degree in either America, Canada or Australia. I really want to take up this opportunity but I'm worried about the costs I might incur because I have diabetes. Would it even be feasible for me to live there for a year?

Thank you for any advice that people can offer. It is much appreciated.

[Fatbrit]

Originally Posted by alphabetsoup

Hi,

Wondered if anyone could offer me a bit of advice about the US health service and any assistance I would be entitled to from the UK and the NHS if I was to live in America for a year.

I'm just about to start a degree in Civil Engineering and there is a fantastic opportunty to study for one year of my degree in either America, Canda or Australia. I really want ti take up this opportunity but I'm worried about the costs I might incur because I have diabetes. Would it even be feasible for me to live there even if it is only a year?

Thank you for any advice that people can offer. It is much appreciated.

Perfectly feasible but you'll need to plan it out carefully. AFAIK, if you're coming over on an F1, you go on a group college health insurance plan. You'll have continuous coverage since you'll already have had coverage from the NHS before you arrived. So they shouldn't be able to deny coverage because it's a pre-existing condition. But you'll have to check it out closely using your own research and the help of the international student office at the college you are going to attend.

Failing that, there's always Canadian pharmacies and paying doctors here directly for a script.

[alphabetsoup]

Originally Posted by Fatbrit

Perfectly feasible but you'll need to plan it out carefully. AFAIK, if you're coming over on an F1, you go on a group college health insurance plan. You'll have continuous coverage since you'll already have had coverage from the NHS before you arrived. So they shouldn't be able to deny coverage because it's a pre-existing condition. But you'll have to check it out closely using your own research and the help of the international student office at the college you are going to attend.

Failing that, there's always Canadian pharmacies and paying doctors here directly for a script.

Thanks very much for the advice. Really helpful...I tried googling but it was a bit of a mind field not knowing much about the VISA's etc.

[Fatbrit]

Originally Posted by alphabetsoup

Thanks very much for the advice. Really helpful...I tried googling but it was a bit of a mind field not knowing much about the VISA's etc.

You could be on an F1 or J1. Try Googling for the International Student Office at the college you're thinking you'll be attending and read their guidance.

[WorldFlightRN]

Soup,

You may be entitled to some benefits from the campus healthcare system depending upon where you go- or get insurance through the program you will be doing. Sometimes University systems may offer affordable healthcare to students depending upon where you are. At the University of Missouri where I attended Nursing School, they had the University Clinic that was free to students at the time. I don't know how it is now.

The healthcare system is a mess in the US. If you have to go to the ER, they cannot turn you away ever, but the bills may follow you wherever you go in the future if you are uninsured. There are some free clinics- but they are few and far between.

There are some insurance underwriters who do travelers insurance that is fairly inexpensive- you might want to check that route.

Hope this helps.
Kristen
Private Medical Care International, LLC