Many people make enquiries about national health insurance for a number of reasons that can either be about cost or geographical access to healthcare, and are concerned about availability of access to emergency health care if required.
The idea of national health insurance normally refers to some type of government or state ownership of health care providers, in terms of physicians and hospitals.
This can be true, but traditionally the idea of a national health insurance plan has also applied to some insurance companies and HMOs on the basis that day provide a level of insurance coverage and access to healthcare providers that can be accessed by patients on a national basis if required.
The other facet of enquiries about national health insurance tends to be about people who are concerned that whilst travelling either within the United States or overseas as to whether their insurance plan covers them or not, and whether or not they need additional medical health insurance.
In terms of health insurance plans, it is easier to think in terms that there is no national health insurance that really applies in a practical sense. Health insurance plans tend to be on a basis that they are negotiated with a certain set of healthcare providers such as hospitals and physicians which will give some range geographically, but is unlikely to be on a national basis.
Insurance Plans
Some people tend to assume that traditional insurance plans/policies such as Blue Cross Blue Shield work as a type of national health insurance because these associations exist across America.
In reality Blue Cross Blue Shield plans differ, often quite widely, between various states, and the benefits and exclusions and costs that apply to a Blue Cross Blue Shield plan in one state are quite likely to be different in other states. As such it should not be thought of as a national health insurance plan.
The other issue concerning health insurance being seen as a national health insurance plan concerns people travelling either within the US or overseas.
The easiest thing to do with this type of concern is to check the specific health insurance plan that you have either as an individual health insurance plan or an employer sponsored health insurance plan and see what type of coverage it gives you when travelling.
There are likely to be significant limitations and exclusions spelt out in the policy either directly or indirectly. Once these are realised then it is possible to make alternative arrangements with separate insurance quotes being readily available, either online or from an insurance agent.
