Best Health Insurance for B1/B2 Visa Holders

B2 visa holders do not need US health insurance as a requirement for getting or maintaining their visa, however, it is highly recommended to buy the best B2 visa holders health insurance in the US to protect themselves from high US medical costs in case of illness or injury during their stay. The US does not have universal health care, which means that most people have to pay for their own medical expenses, either out of pocket or through private insurance.

US health care is very expensive and without insurance, even a routine doctor’s visit can cost tens thousands of dollars. Simply having health insurance for US tourist visa can lower hospital bills since US insurance preferred provider organization (PPO) network healthcare billing is much lower than regular hospital bills without PPO network in the United States.

Health insurance for B2 visa holders can offer various benefits, such as:

• Covid19 coverage: Some plans cover COVID-19 related expenses, such as testing, treatment, hospitalization, and quarantine, up to the policy limit.
• Other medical expenses: Most plans cover other medical expenses, such as doctor visits, prescriptions, surgery, ambulance, and repatriation, in case of illness or injury during the trip.
• Emergency services: Most plans cover emergency services, such as evacuation, accidental death and dismemberment, and travel assistance, in case of a life-threatening situation or a travel disruption.
• Pre-existing conditions: Some plans cover acute onset of pre-existing conditions up to a certain limit, as long as they are stable and controlled before the trip.
• Lower hospital bills: Since US insurance preferred provider organization (PPO) network healthcare billing is significantly lower than regular hospital bills without PPO network in the United States.

There is no specific minimum coverage requirement mandated by the US government for B1 or B2 visa medical insurance. However, a good practice is to have coverage with at least $50k to $100k in medical expenses coverage.

You can compare different plans and buy best health insurance for B1/ B2 visa on American Visitor Insurance which includes emergency medical expenses and medical evacuation.

Medical insurance for b1/b2 visas may be valid as long as the visa up to 10 years, visitors on B-1 or B-2 will only be permitted to stay in the United States for a short duration (maximum 6 months), as granted by US Customs and Border Protection upon arrival. It is recommended that you can buy B visa insurance for the length of your stay in the United States.

A travel health insurance (also known as visitors insurance) plan provides coverage for travelers outside their home country for both long and short trips as opposed to domestic health insurance which cover offers protection for the insured within their home country. The visitors medical insurance offers protection both for medical and travel accidents and illness while on an international trip.

The insured receive medical care and assistance for unexpected medical and travel events while travelling overseas. Visitor health insurance is available for all categories of the travelers like for vacationers, business men, Students, short visits and annual multi-trips depending on the duration of the stay and the visa type of the traveler.

There are broadly two types of visitors health insurance that a traveler can choose based on their travel requirements.

• Fixed benefit travel insurance coverage

  A fixed benefit insurance plan is a basic plan with lower benefits and lower premiums. These covers offer basic standard medical coverage and stay in case unforeseen medical or travel events occur while traveling away from home country. There are few plans that cover acute onset of pre-existing conditions up to a certain limit.

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• Comprehensive travel insurance coverage

  Comprehensive travel insurance offers exhaustive coverage but are more expensive when compared to the fixed benefit plans. Most of the comprehensive plans offer coverage for acute onset of pre-existing conditions. The insured can visit doctors within their PPO network to get cashless services. There are many US insurance providers who offer good comprehensive visitors health insurance plans like Patriot America Plus, Safe Travels USA Comprehensive, Atlas America and Travel Medical Choice.

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Travelling to the United States is definitely an exciting experience for travelers however travelling long distance, the change of weather and food often increases the chances for travel and medical risk. Here is why travelers should include US visitor insurance, this is particularly important given the high cost of US healthcare.

1. Travelling to a new country, and trying new cuisines, jetlag and different lifestyles can be risky. Sometimes even with full planning there is always a chance for travel or medical mishaps, accidents, injuries or illness. These unexpected events can happen to anyone and at any age, but older travelers are particularly vulnerable. Given these risks, it is important to include the best US visitor insurance while traveling there.
2. . The US does not offer free medical treatment to its visitors. Nor the domestic health Insurance cover from the home country will provide little or no coverage for any medical treatment in the US. In the US each one is responsible to pay for themselves for all healthcare costs. Visitors to the US need to pay on their own either through a travel insurance cover or from their pocket for any unexpected illness or injury.
3. The high cost of healthcare in the US makes it vital for travelers to have good travel health insurance while traveling to the US. A smallest diagnosis and a basic treatment for medical conditions like upper respiratory infections can leave the traveler with a huge bill. If there is a need for an emergency evacuation or surgery then the cost is extremely high and can leave the traveler in a huge financial burden.
4. Even though it’s not mandatory to include travel insurance for a trip to the US. By including travel insurance, travelers can be rest assured that even if any emergency healthcare is required, it is taken care of by the US visitor insurance cover.

Yes. These travel insurance plans are from the reputed and popular private insurance companies in the US. These companies have been there for a while and has served many travelers over the years and have excellent rating and popularity. They are associated with the provider networks in the US which are popularly known as PPO networks such as First Health network, United Healthcare, Coventry healthcare to name a few.

Yes, travelers can buy travel insurance if the traveler has already started a trip. However travelers should keep in mind that the cover is provided for any illness or injury that occurs after the inception of the policy.

As a sponsor for anyone on a student’s visa, a visitor’s visa or for permanent residency status (Green card) you are completing the I-134 Form. The I-134 form is an Affidavit of Support indicating to the U.S. government that the visa applicant will be financially supported by the sponsor in the United States. This is to remove the risk of the visa applicant from becoming a public charge (financial liability) to the US government.

The sponsor is therefore considered responsible for any living and healthcare expenses of the visa applicant while in the United States. In the event that the visa holder needs healthcare services, the healthcare provider can hold the sponsor who provided the I-134 form, ie 'Affidavit of Support' responsible for any medical bills that are not paid by the sponsored visa holder. Given this risk and the high US healthcare costs, it is important that the sponsor ensures that the visa applicant has good medical insurance coverage as long as the I-134 Affidavit of support is valid. At American visitor insurance, we have US travel health insurance and student medical insurance options which are applicable for these visa applicants.

An Affidavit of Support is enforceable until the visa applicant either becomes a US citizen, or is credited with 40 quarters of work (which is typically 10 years).

Yes, Non US citizens can get medical insurance for traveling outside their home country.

A US visitor visa travel insurance is travel medical insurance that offers coverage for all medical and travel emergencies that may occur during the trip to the US. The travel insurance typically covers the cost of the treatment of any unexpected injuries and illnesses, emergency medical evacuation and accidental death.