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| Living Abroad and Health Insurance |  Taking a long trip abroad requires a huge amount of planning. Your health insurance coverage is an important part of this planning, although it may not be principal in your mind.
Standard health insurance plans usually do not cover long periods of international travel. Most managed care plans do cover emergency treatment regardless of where it is administered, but other types of care are normally limited to a local network of providers. Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) may pay nothing if you look for routine care from a non-network provider, while preferred provider organizations (PPOs) normally cover only a portion of these costs. And most Americans are not eligible for the national health-care programs provided for citizens of many European nations. Before you leave your country, get to know what coverage you will have. Inform your insurance company about how long you will be abroad and what countries you will visit. Travel insurance may be a good decision for some travelers. However, travel insurance may provide only limited coverage, normally for no more than six months.
If you plan stay abroad more than six months and you want to get the most comprehensive health insurance available, you may choose expatriate health insurance. Many larger insurers such as Lloyd's of London provide this type of insurance specifically for Americans living in other countries.
Expatriate health insurance plans can be altered in many ways. In addition to standard medical and emergency coverage, you can get a plan that includes maternity coverage, specialty treatments such as acupuncture and chiropractic, and even emergency evacuation. Choosing the right features depends on your family's needs, your travel plans and your financial situation.
If you decide to buy an expatriate plan, you can expect to complete an extensive application. You'll need to describe any health problems your family members have had in the past 10 years, from broken bones to hereditary conditions to substance abuse. The cost of an expatriate plan may be different and depends on the features you select; the number of family members to be covered; the age, sex, and state of health of each family member; your travel route; and various other factors.
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