Health
Insurance, doctors, medicine, bills
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Health insurance words, explained simply
Premium, deductible, copay, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum, network, EOB and prior authorization, with one example.
4 min
Where to get health insurance
Job plans, school plans and waivers, the Marketplace, Medicaid and CHIP, and visitor insurance: which one fits you.
4 min
Health insurance by visa status: F-1, H-1B, green card
Who can use the Marketplace and get savings in 2026 and 2027, the Medicaid five-year wait, and what changed for DACA and refugees.
5 min
When you can sign up: open and special enrollment
The yearly sign-up window, and the 60-day window after a move, losing coverage, marriage or a new baby.
3 min
HMO or PPO, and choosing your main doctor
Plan types, how to find an in-network primary care doctor, and how referrals to specialists work.
4 min
Doctor, urgent care, ER, telehealth or nurse line
Where to go when you are sick or hurt, and what each choice typically costs.
4 min
Any status
Your first doctor visit, step by step
Booking, what to bring, check-in forms, the visit itself, and what happens after.
4 min
Prescriptions and pharmacies
How prescriptions are filled, generics, discount cards, mail order, refills and how a pharmacist can help.
4 min
Medicine names in the US, and what needs a prescription
Paracetamol is acetaminophen here. Common brand names, what you can buy on the shelf, and what needs a doctor.
4 min
Bringing your medicines into the US
The 90-day rule, original packages, prescriptions in English, controlled medicines, and why not to bring cannabis or CBD.
3 min
Vaccines for adults, and where to get them
Getting shots at a pharmacy, what insurance usually covers, keeping your record, and vaccines for school, work and green cards.
3 min
Dental and eye care
Why teeth and eyes need separate insurance, typical costs, and cheaper options like dental schools and health centers.
4 min
Medical bills: check them, lower them, pay over time
Ask for an itemized bill, find errors, negotiate, use hospital financial assistance, and set up a payment plan.
5 min
Surprise bills, price estimates and medical debt
Your rights under the No Surprises Act, good faith estimates if you pay yourself, and how medical debt affects credit.
4 min
Care without insurance: health centers and free clinics
Community health centers charge by income and see everyone. How to find one, what to bring, and other low-cost options.
3 min
Your right to a free medical interpreter
Most hospitals and clinics must give you a professional interpreter at no cost. How to ask, and why not to use family.
3 min
Any status
Your medical records: from home and in the US
Which records to bring, getting them translated, sharing them with US doctors, and your right to get copies here.
3 min
Women's health care
OB-GYN visits, screenings, birth control options, and starting prenatal care early.
4 min
Having a baby in the US
Costs and insurance, the hospital stay, birth certificate, the baby’s SSN and US passport, and registering with your home country.
5 min
Your child's doctor and check-ups
Pediatricians, regular well-child visits, vaccines for school, and free vaccines for children without insurance.
3 min
Mental health care and finding a therapist
Feeling low after moving is common. Types of help, how insurance covers it, low-cost options, and the 988 line.
4 min
Medical emergencies: in the US and when you travel
What to do in an emergency here, and how your US insurance works when you visit home or travel abroad.
3 min
No health insurance yet? Covering your first months
Job waiting periods, the 60-day Marketplace window after moving here, short-term plans, school plans, and what to do if you get sick.
4 min
Women's health when you are new: how to get care
Booking your first well-woman visit, $0 preventive care, Title X clinics, pregnancy coverage by status and state, and interpreters.
4 min