How to Obtain Health Care in the U.S.

The US healthcare system is extremely complex and confusing, even for Americans. For an international student/scholar, navigating the healthcare system can be a daunting task and it might be tempting to put it off until needs arise. However, I urge you to avoid doing so because accidents and sickness can happen to anyone at any given time. In that moment of panicking, it can be difficult to figure out where to get help, and picking the wrong option may delay your care and end up being costly. In addition, since you are already paying for the health insurance and University Health Services (UHS), it is good to know the available services and utilize them to keep yourself in optimal health. Lastly, if you have a chronic condition that requires regular care and medications, it is especially important to establish your care with a U.S. physician in case of medical emergency and to obtain prescriptions for your medications. This is because U.S. pharmacies do not accept prescriptions written outside of the U.S.

When I first came to the U.S., I also delayed looking into this topic. I, like most of my peers, felt that there were “more important” things to do: settling into my dorm, getting to know the university and the town, scheduling classes, and getting accustomed to the American learning environment. Learning where and how to obtain health care was a task of low priority... Until one year later. In my sophomore year, I had an accident that required a three-day hospital stay costing over $200,000. Despite having insurance that covered most of the cost, I still ended up with a bill of over $30,000 that took me months to resolve. Although such a scenario is unlikely to happen again, I have committed to be knowledgeable about the U.S. healthcare system and spent days researching this topic. To help you avoid getting into a similar headache, I am providing below a general description of the American healthcare system, some options that are available to you at the U of M to obtain medical, dental, and vision care, as well as directions to additional resources for those interested.

In general, there are three places to get medical care in the U.S depending on the urgency of your situation: doctor clinics, urgent care facilities, and hospital emergency rooms. Doctor clinics are the most common way to obtain care for non-urgent concerns such as getting or renewing prescriptions, getting annual physical exams, and receiving vaccinations. An appointment is usually required, and the wait time can range from a few days to weeks. For urgent but non-life-threatening concerns such as minor cuts and injuries, fevers, and severe sore throat, urgent care facilities are the best option. These facilities typically do not require appointments, and you can usually be seen within the same day. Lastly, emergency rooms are reserved for life-threatening situations such as major injuries, uncontrolled bleeding, and alcohol poisoning. You will be screened at arrival, and depending on the severity, you might be seen by a health care provider immediately.

At Michigan, the cheapest and most convenient option for international students and scholars to obtain medical care is the University Health Services (UHS). Many UHS services are free for enrolled students since students pay a health service fee as part of their tuition. UHS provides many non-urgent care services and treatments for minor emergencies. In addition, you can establish care with a primary care physician (PCP) at UHS and this person will coordinate all of your subsequent care, including ordering prescriptions, laboratory testings, vaccinations, and referrals to specialists as needed. Please visit UHS website for instructions on how to make appointments. Another option to establish care with a PCP is at the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS) General Medicine clinics. Please visit this page for locations and phone numbers for making appointments.

For urgent care, after-hours and over the weekend needs, there are urgent care clinics in Ann Arbor that open until 9-10 PM on weekdays and 7 PM on weekend. UHS also has a nurse advice call line (734-764-8320) that you can call at anytime, day or night, for health advices. This may save you a trip to the UHS, an urgent care facility, or the emergency room. Lastly, if you or someone you know experiences a life-threatening emergency, CALL 911 or go GO TO THE NEAREST HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM. In many cases, this will be UMHS Emergency Department on the medical campus. However, there are also other hospitals in the area that might be closer to you.

Dental care can be very expensive in the U.S. These services are typically not covered by your regular health insurance. Some graduate students and scholars might be eligible for benefits that are paid for by the University of Michigan, which include dental and vision insurance. In such cases, I recommend visiting the U-M Benefits Office website for more information on your coverage and where to get care. Personally, I get my dental care from the Dental Faculty Associates Clinic at the U-M School of Dentistry. This clinic is run by faculty dentists and provides services equivalent to any private practice in the area. In addition, the clinic is located in the Dental School building on Central Campus, which is convenient for those who do not have a car. For others who do not have dental insurance, you can enroll in a dental savings plan that provides 15-50% discounts to most services. You can also see a student dentist and Student Clinics at the U-M Dental School for lower fees. However, these appointments usually take longer since the students’ works need to be evaluated by a faculty member.

Similar to dental care, eyeglasses and contact lenses are not covered by general health insurances. However, most plans do pay for an annual eye exam. You can obtain an exam at the UHS Eye Care Clinic or at the Kellogg Eye Center. The UHS Optical Shop, as well as Walmart, Costco, and many online retailers do provide affordable options for basic glasses and contact lenses. If you are are eligible for U-M benefits, you can enroll in a vision plan which pays for an annual eye exam, contact lenses or one pair of glasses per year.

For additional information, please attend the following workshops during Orientation. If you are eligible for U-M benefits, I recommend the “Benefit Overview for Graduate Student” workshop co-sponsored by the Benefits Office. This is held only once on Wednesday, August 22, 2018 from 3:30 PM to 5 PM. Please follow this link to register for this workshop. If you are not eligible for GradCare health insurance, you will likely be enrolled in the UM International Student/Scholar Health Insurance plan, in which case I recommend attending the “UM’s International Health Insurance Plan” workshop. Lastly, I recommend everyone to attend the “University Health Services: Information and Tour” workshop. The latter two are held every week during orientation. For a schedule of these workshops as well as many others, please visit the Summer Orientation website. If you have additional questions, please feel free to comment below and I will answer them as best I can.

Written by Vi Tang

International Orientation Peer Advisor

Graduate Student

Vietnam