Do US citizens need to purchase US health insurance while traveling abroad, under the rules of the Affordable Care Act?
I am currently a US citizen traveling without insurance for 3 months. I am no longer employed but plan to be again soon after I return. I understand that, in the past, I needed "creditable coverage" which is insurance that covers you in the United States in order to prove "continuous coverage". With continuous coverage, you will still be treated for pre-existing conditions and do not have to wait through the "exclusion period" (dependent on the state but often six months) to get treatment
A few things I have read leads me to believe that this has changed under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) but I can't seem to find anything authoritative enough for me to trust.
I would like to avoid getting insurance that has coverage in the United States because I won't be there! Various types of travel insurance exist and are much cheaper if you get plans without US coverage.
Best Answer
For whatever it's worth, I completed my entire 3 months of traveling without creditable US-based health insurance. Upon returning, I quietly bought health insurance through Covered California and no one has assessed any penalty to me. That being said, I've also not visited a doctors office or filled a prescription so I don't know whether I might still be investigated or penalized. I'll update this answer if anything changes.
Pictures about "Do US citizens need to purchase US health insurance while traveling abroad, under the rules of the Affordable Care Act?"
Are US citizens living abroad required to have health insurance?
Do I Need Health Insurance If I Live Abroad? Yes, all US citizens who live abroad should get international health insurance since domestic insurance plans do not offer protection outside the borders of the US. If you are moving abroad on a long-term basis or permanently, then you should get expatriate health insurance.Does Obamacare cover you overseas?
Most ObamaCare health plans do not cover foreign emergency care. When traveling abroad and while cruising you'll want to get travel insurance.Does health insurance cover you outside of the United States?
Unfortunately, most domestic health insurance policies dont provide coverage outside your home country. In general, domestic plans limit their coverage to specific geographic areas.Do US citizens have to pay for health insurance?
The U.S. government does not provide health benefits to citizens or visitors. Any time you get medical care, someone has to pay for it. Healthcare is very expensive.Obamacare, Affordable Care Act, Pre Existing Condition Explained
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Karolina Grabowska, Karolina Grabowska, Karolina Grabowska, Karolina Grabowska