Health expenditures in the United States neared $2.6 trillion in 2010, over ten times the $256 billion spent in 1980. The rate of growth in recent years has slowed relative to the late 1990s and early 2000s, but is still expected to grow faster than national income over the foreseeable future.
Addressing this growing burden continues to be a major policy priority. Furthermore, the United States has been in a recession for much of the past decade, resulting in higher unemployment and lower incomes for many Americans. These conditions have put even more attention on health spending and affordability.
While there is broad agreement that the rise in costs must be controlled, there is disagreement over the driving factors. Some of the major factors that have been discussed in cost growth are:
| Investment | 7% |
| Other health residential | 3% |
| Net cost of health insurance | 7% |
| Physician/Clinical services | 20% |
| Retail – Other products | 3% |
| Hospital care | 31% |
| Retail – Rx drugs | 10% |
| Nursing home care | 7% |
| Other health residential | 7% |
| Other professional services | 8% |
| Home health care | 3% |
| Government Administration | 1% |
Graph shows that half of expenditures related health maintaining is based on Hospital care and Physician/clinic. In the past, Prescription drug expense has overwhelmed the half of the total expenditure in USA however it has been decreasing dramatically for a decade. The key factor of increased expenditure is the hi-technologized medical instruments that will affect the cost of health insurance more and more. – DIAN
Source: Martin A.B. et al., "Growth In US Health Spending Remained Slow in 2010; Health Share of Gross Domestic Product Was Unchanged from 2009," Health Affairs, 2012.
International student health insurance is available for students who are studying away from their home country, and offers them access to health care and facilities. It makes it much easier to receive quality health care and benefits from insurance providers, and can help save thousands of dollars in case of an emergency or illness. Medical expenses can be very costly in US. In addition, many health care providers at colleges and universities can deny treatment if a student does not provide appropriate records of international student insurance coverage.
Each state has different laws and regulations regarding medical insurance coverage, but almost every college and university that accepts students on an 'F' visa requires proof of financial ability before enrolling in a college program. This means that students may be deemed ineligible for studies in the U.S. if they cannot support themselves financially; having the appropriate medical coverage is essential to this process, and all students need to carry at least the most basic international student medical insurance during their stay. While colleges and universities cannot track if a student is continuing with their selected foreign student health insurance, the risk of getting sick or requiring surgery is still a problem. If a student cannot afford to take care of their health because of increased medical expenses, they may be required to forfeit their status as a student and return to their home country.
International student health insurance is important when studying in the U.S. for a variety of reasons including:
Affordable international student health insurance plans are available online, as well as through local area networks in the state you are pursuing studies. Contacting the university admissions office first can lead you to discounted rate plans specifically designed for international students. These are often priced much lower than standard options available elsewhere, and can provide enough protection for adequate coverage.
There are many coverage item and conditions especially in F visa holders' plan however In common, You will need to consider followings: