Healthcare abroad
Healthcare in the USA: excellent, and eye-wateringly expensive
Medical treatment in the USA is very expensive and there's no reciprocal agreement with the UK. Hospitals may ask for a deposit or proof of insurance before they treat you. Make sure your policy has a high medical limit, at least several million pounds.
- GHIC accepted
- Some free urgent care
- No free healthcare
- Very high costs
American emergency rooms must stabilise you whatever your means, but everything after that is billed, often in separate invoices from the hospital, the doctors and the ambulance. An ambulance ride alone can run to thousands of dollars.
Where care differs
- Emergency roomsVery high costs
Must treat emergencies, then bill you. Give them your insurer's details straight away.
- Urgent care clinicsNo free healthcare
Much cheaper for minor problems like sprains or infections. No appointment needed.
- National parks and rural areasVery high costs
Hospitals can be hours away, so rescue and air ambulance costs are huge.
Prescriptions
UK prescriptions aren't valid in US pharmacies. Bring enough medicine for the whole trip in its original packaging, and check the FDA rules if it's a controlled drug.
Before you go
- Emergency number: 911.
- Check your insurance covers the USA specifically. Many cheaper policies exclude it.
- Ask for itemised bills and send them to your insurer, not your bank card.
Official advice: FCDO health advice for United States
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