Health insurance in the USA

It depends on your visa. J-1 exchange visitors must hold federally mandated coverage (USD 100,000 medical, USD 25,000 repatriation, USD 50,000 evacuation, deductible ≤ USD 500). F-1 students must hold a school-sponsored plan or comparable coverage. H-1B, L-1, O-1, and tourist visas don't require insurance federally, but going uninsured is financially catastrophic — a single ER visit can run USD 3,000–10,000+ and medical debt is the #1 cause of personal bankruptcy in the US. California, DC, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Rhode Island also impose state-level penalties on uninsured residents.

Yes. Our plans meet the J-1 federal minimums under 22 CFR § 62.14 (USD 100,000 medical, USD 25,000 repatriation, USD 50,000 evacuation, deductible ≤ USD 500) and qualify as comparable coverage for F-1 student visa waivers at most US universities. We provide your insurance certificate in English immediately after sign-up, ready for sponsor verification, university waivers, and Public Charge documentation.

Very rarely. There is no universal public system. Medicare requires 5 years of US residency plus typically 40 quarters of contributions (age 65+). Medicaid has a 5-year bar for most lawful permanent residents and excludes non-immigrant visa holders almost entirely. The ACA Marketplace IS open to lawfully present immigrants — including H-1B, L-1, F-1 OPT, J-1, and Green Card holders — but tourists on B-1/B-2 or ESTA are excluded. Open Enrollment runs Nov 1 – Jan 15, with Special Enrollment Periods available when you move to the US.

Pay your doctor or hospital, then open the Feather app, take a photo of your invoice, and submit. We handle the rest and reimburse you directly to your bank account. No paper forms, no language barriers — English is universal across the US medical system.

Yes — English is the medical lingua franca everywhere in the US. Spanish is widely available in California, Texas, Florida, New York, Arizona, and New Mexico. World-class care is concentrated at top centers like Mayo Clinic (Rochester), Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins (Baltimore), Massachusetts General (Boston), UCLA Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian, and Cedars-Sinai. With Feather, you can see any licensed doctor in the US — we don't restrict you to a network.