Health Insurance for Americans Returning to the US

What are your plans for health insurance when you return to your home country? If you are a US citizen returning to the US to work, you can get your insurance through your new employer. Most other countries have national health plans, so you are covered. But what if you are a US citizen retiring or taking a year or so sabbatical and don’t qualify for Medicare? 

If you are not working, you need to purchase private health insurance. One option is under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to access the HealthCare.gov exchange to look for a policy. I read in one article that private insurance providers mainly work through the HealthCare.gov marketplace as their contact point. 

Another possible approach is to take a course from a university offering students health insurance policies. You then purchase your policy through the university’s insurance provider. I learned this from a corporate friend who retired to the US from Asia a few years ago. He wanted to take a course from the local state university when he noticed he could purchase health insurance for his family by taking one 3-hour course per year. I would like to know if this is prevalent in other locations, so it might be worth looking into in your location. 

Another option to be more semi-retired is to work part-time with a company that provides health insurance. My friend, who took university courses for personal growth and health insurance, decided he wanted to work, which recently led to a part-time job and health insurance benefits. 

Look at health insurance resources, YouTube, Facebook & Reddit groups, and other information sources to learn about your choices. 

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