2025 health insurance plan, how to buy health insurance, insurance company recommendations

During the Obamacare reform period, people who meet the IRS tax residents (resident aliens) are required to purchase compliant medical insurance, otherwise they will be fined when filing taxes, but most international students are not affected in the first five years.

Since 2019, the federal government has abolished the medical insurance penalty system and no longer forces people to purchase medical insurance.

Only a few states still have mandatory health insurance requirements for their residents. If you do not have health insurance, you may be . These areas include:

• Massachusetts
• New Jersey
• California
• Rhode Island
• Washington, DC

Although Vermont passed a law to implement mandatory health insurance purchase starting in 2020, legislators did not set any fines, so it is equivalent to no compulsion.

Medical Insurance English Terminology

First of all, you need to understand some common terms used in medical insurance:

• Premium : The fee you pay to buy insurance, usually a monthly premium.
• In-network : Clinics that have a cooperative relationship with insurance companies, and insurance reimburses more for medical treatment at in-network clinics;
• Out-of-network : Insurance usually reimburses less than in-network clinics, or even no reimbursement;
• Deductible : The deductible is the amount that the insured must pay before the insurance company starts to pay. The lower the deductible, the better for the insured, but the insurance premium will also be higher.
• Co-payment : For certain specific items, the fixed amount you need to pay each time you see a doctor. The lower the co-payment, the better for the insured;
• Coinsurance : The percentage of medical service costs you need to pay after the deductible is fully paid. The lower the coinsurance, the better.
• Out-of-pocket Maximum : The maximum amount you pay out-of-pocket during the policy year, including all co-payments, deductibles, and coinsurance you pay. Once you meet the maximum deductible, the insurance company will reimburse 100% of all medical expenses for the rest of the year, so the lower the maximum deductible, the better.