Do I Need Health Insurance If I Live Abroad?
If you live outside the United States and are planning to move there, even temporarily, this question almost always comes up: Do I need US health insurance if I live abroad?
It’s a fair question. Many people assume they can figure it out later, or that coverage from home will be “good enough.” But the U.S. healthcare system works very differently from most countries, and the answer matters more than you might expect.
The short version: if you are coming to live in the U.S., you need health insurance that works in the U.S.
The longer answer depends on how long you’ll stay, your visa, and what kind of coverage you already have. Let’s walk through it calmly.
Healthcare in the U.S. is expensive, even for basic care. A short emergency room visit, a routine scan, or a few nights in the hospital can cost more than months or years of insurance premiums!
That’s why health insurance isn’t just a “nice to have” in the U.S. It’s often essential for accessing care without large upfront payments and avoiding financial stress during medical emergencies. Most time it is also required to meet visa or residency requirements.
In many cases, no, or only partially.
Local health insurance from your home country often:
Does not cover treatment in the United States
Covers emergencies only, with low reimbursement limits
Requires you to pay upfront and claim later
Excludes ongoing or routine care
This means that even if you technically “have insurance,” it may not protect you once you arrive in the U.S.
This is where expat health insurance and international health insurance come into the picture.
These plans are designed for people who:
Live outside their home country
Are relocating to the U.S.
Don’t yet qualify for employer-sponsored or local U.S. plans
Expat health insurance is built for real life, not just emergencies. Depending on the plan, it can include:
Doctor visits and specialist care
Hospitalisation and surgery
Emergency treatment
Prescription medication
Optional benefits like dental, maternity, or mental health care
Most importantly, it is structured to work inside the U.S. healthcare system, where costs and processes are very different.
If you are living in the U.S. for an extended period, ACA-compliant health insurance may be required depending on your visa and residency status.
ACA-compliant plans:
Meet U.S. minimum essential coverage requirements
Include essential health benefits
Help avoid tax penalties where applicable
Some expats choose ACA-compliant plans, while others use non-ACA international health insurance depending on their situation. The right choice depends on how long you’ll stay and whether compliance is required.
If you live abroad but are coming to the U.S., the answer is usually yes. You need health insurance that works in the U.S.
In most cases:
Foreign or local insurance is not enough
Travel insurance is too limited
Expat health insurance or international health insurance is the more practical solution
The goal isn’t to over-insure. It’s to make sure you’re covered where you actually are. But, what if you’re only coming to the U.S. temporarily?
If your stay is very short, travel insurance might seem like an option. However, it’s important to keep in mind that travel insurance focuses on emergencies only. It also often excludes follow-up care.
If you’ll be in the U.S. for several months or if your plans may change, international health insurance is usually more practical than relying on short-term travel coverage.
Coming to the U.S. is a big step, and healthcare is one of the most important things to plan early. WellAway provides international health insurance designed for expats, students, and globally mobile individuals coming to the United States.
Plans are built to:
Work within the U.S. healthcare system
Support people relocating from abroad
Offer access to broad provider networks
Provide concierge-style support for navigating care
For many newcomers, this kind of structure helps bridge the gap between arriving in the U.S. and settling into long-term life there.