Do you want to know if international students studying in the United States can get Obamacare health insurance? First and foremost, you should become acquainted with the student visa requirements. For example, if you have a J-1 visa, in that case, the U.S. government will mandate you to have insurance coverage for the duration of your stay in the country. However, you don’t need to purchase a health plan if you hold an F-1 immigration status.  

Need Obamacare health insurance while studying abroad? Afraid of racking up massive medical bills as a result? Don’t worry. You have got several coverage options.

Shopping the Obamacare health insurance programs

Your first option is to buy an individual plan through the Marketplace health insurance. Get our free step-by-step guide to signing up for Marketplace coverage here. As a U.S legal citizen, you can enroll in Marketplace health insurance. Subsidies are also available based on your income. All plans purchased through Marketplace will cover essential health benefits and pre-existing medical conditions.  

You should be aware that in the United States, dental and vision care are typically not covered by health insurance plans. You’ll need to purchase a separate program to get this type of protection. If you make up your mind and are interested in buying a health plan, go to InsuranceShopping.com. You can also enter your postal code here to see the available programs in your region.   

Student health programs

You can sign up for student health insurance through your university or college. Some schools necessitate students to enroll in a school-administered insurance plan. Nevertheless, other schools will require students to purchase a health plan through the Marketplace or private insurance companies. Please note that students enrolled in a waiver program will have the option of going without health insurance.

Private insurance plans

Some companies provide individual health insurance plans designed specifically for international students. It’s important to understand that these plans may not offer the same amount of coverage as those available through the Marketplace. Since these plans are non-ACA plans, they don’t include Obamacare protections. That means there’s no guarantee of an annual cap on out-of-pocket expenses or coverage for mandatory health benefits. So be sure to carefully review the details of these plans in terms of scope of coverage before enlisting.