<p>My D is preparing to leave to the UK for her Masters program, which will be for two years. I read somewhere that students that are in the UK longer than 6 months qualify for the National Health Insurance. Has anyone used this option? </p>
<p>She previously did a study abroad in the UK as an undergraduate but she was only there two months and we purchased medical through travel insurance.</p>
<p>I don't believe our US medical insurance would cover her there and frankly, I would not want to go through the paperwork process as it is already complicated on this side of the pond.</p>
<p>Yes, I believe that is the requirement. National Health <em>Service</em> is superior to American medical insurance, so there’s nothing to worry about.</p>
<p>She’ll be covered by the NHS. It’s explained fairly well here [International</a> students - A guide to The National Health Service (NHS) ? University of Leicester](<a href=“Sign in to your account”>Sign in to your account) </p>
<p>It’s a fantastic system, wildly popular with a public who can’t understand why the Americans wouldn’t want the same thing for themselves. Buildings are less pretty than American hospitals and there’s very much a limit as to the extent to which you can choose your appointment times, but for the most important things (life expectancy, infant mortality, hospital beds per capita, nurses and midwives per capita etc.) it rates substantially better than the US for less than half what’s spent per head on US citizens.</p>
<p>Exactly- the NHS is a modern marvel! We Brits cannot understand why the concept of affordable health care for all is meant to be the downfall of the USA…</p>
<p>Get additional travel insurance to top up for a few worst case scenarios the NHS can’t assist with…</p>
<p>repatriation to the US due to serious illness
repatriation to the US due to death</p>
<p>Horrible things to think about but better now than ignoring it, your daughter being that one in a million and ending up in a financial hole while also trying to cope with your loss. Don’t do it to yourselves or her.</p>
<p>AND, flexible air tickets too if not already considered. Say she got ill and she needed a period of rest, perhaps taking out a semester I’m sure she’d be happier getting healthy at home. Happened to me out in China. I’d bought the flexible ticket and it saved me from having to buy a whole new one way ticket. Just the $100 to change the return date.</p>
<p>I would settle for less flexible appointment times and less pretty hospitals if it meant everyone could get healthcare!</p>
<p>I am currently on German health insurance, and it really has been so much less of a hassle than in the US. Some money is automatically taken out of my paycheck (far less than for insurance in the US!) and I never have to worry about anything.</p>