The NHS, and issues with UAlbany

   So, theres a little bit of anger behind this post.  Obviously, it is about health insurance and the NHS and some of the "issues" I've had regarding them.

During the process of preparing to leave, my school had a lot of papers that needed to be filled out, questionaires to do, and waivers to sign.  One of these "to-do" things was about health insurance.  This is a quote from my application page on the study abroad website:

"All students studying abroad must have health insurance. If you can prove that you are already covered under an insurance plan which provides sufficient medical care overseas, you may be able to use your own coverage instead of buying coverage through SUNY."

and also

"If you do not have your own health coverage or plan to purchase additional coverage under the SUNY plan, choose NO. If you want to have your own coverage reviewed, choose YES and follow the instructions which will appear below."

The point being that A) I am required to have health insurance.  B)  My current health insurance may or may not cover me while I am overseas, so I have to check that.  C)  If my health insurance does not cover me overseas, my school has a plan that I can purchase.  D) If I think that I will be covered overseas by my health insurance then I can submit the plan for review to make sure it is adequate and then I don't have to purchase their health insurance.


So, during my own personal preparations to leave, my parents look into their health insurance plan to see if it will cover me... it will, but we all figure that it wouldn't hurt to have something a bit more "student studying abroad" oriented.  That way, they would be used to dealing with students studying abroad and submitting claims or whatever.  So I purchased the SUNY health insurance plan... for $450.

And then I get to the UK...


            Now as a disclaimer, I'm really not sure how this works... but apparently I am covered by the NHS.  At least, we were required to register with the local GP, and can now make and go to doctor's appointments.  Even after I had registered, I wasn’t really sure that I actually was covered and could make appointments (who knows, maybe it was just for emergency coverage or something), but I went and spoke to the people at Barclay’s Medical Centre on campus, and they specifically said that I (an American, studying in the UK for 3 ½ months) would be covered under the NHS and could make an appointment – for regular care.  I guess the only difference is that I’m technically classified as a “temporary patient” and they don’t keep my records after I leave… or something like that.

Moral of the story:  I didn't need the $450 health insurance that I purchased from school and I'm pretty sure they knew that.
          Not too happy with you right now SUNY Albany.

If you are a UAlbany student looking into study abroad or are planning to leave, look into this more before you buy their health insurance. 

The only real benefit - it seems - of the health insurance, would be if I were to go out of the UK and need to go to the doctor.  Or if you were a student going to a country without national health insurance.

    Paperwork given to us to register at the Medical Centre.  Required to fill out/turn in.

Brochure/Information Booklet given to us after we successfully registered at the Medical Centre.

Side note: even though I'm still not 100% sure how I'm allowed to be covered, the ladies that I spoke to at the medical centre offered to have a letter printed for me stating that I was covered by the NHS (hopefully so I can get money back on the insurance that I bought).  So clearly, I'm covered...

      

Hmm... I think UAlbany has a bit of explaining to do...  NOT very happy.