IMG Student Health Advantage vs Patriot Exchange insurance review

1. Patriot Exchange Program Medical Insurance

• Patriot Exchange student health insurance plan has been designed keeping the US Universities and their requirements for F1 and J1 Visa holders in mind. This plan satisfies typical university F1 and US immigration authorities J1 Visa requirements. This plan is unique when compared to other student plans, as it also allows the F2 and the J2 visa holders (dependants of F1 and J1 visa holders) to buy the plan without the F1 and J1 being on the plan respectively.
• The plan allows a maximum coverage starting from $50,000, $100K, $250K and $500,000 with a lifetime maximum of $5000, 000. This is a per injury sickness plan. In a per injury sickness plan, the deductible is charged every time there is an expense is incurred for a new sickness. Another aspect with a per injury sickness plan is that the policy maximum amount will be reset to the same amount after an expense is incurred. There is no co-insurance with this plan.
• This plan covers all the requirements such as evacuation, repatriation…listed in the brochure of the plan. But this plan does not cover maternity and preventive care.

2. Student Health Advantage Insurance

• Student Health Advantage is another student plan from IMG that is designed to the needs of international students coming to the US for higher education. It meets the J1 visa requirements and is also suitable for F1 Visa holders and their dependents. There are two types of Student health advantage plans namely Standard and Platinum.
• The Standard plan has a maximum limit of $500,000 for the student and $100K for their dependent per period of coverage. The per injury illness maximum for this plan is $300K for student and $100K for their dependent. The deductible is $100 per injury and sickness. With this plan, outside the US, there is no co-insurance and within PPO network within the US, there is no co-insurance. Outside of the PPO network and within the US there is an 80% co-insurance that is applicable for the first $5K of the expense incurred.
• The Platinum plan has a maximum limit of $1M for the student and $100K for their dependent per period of coverage. The per injury illness maximum for this plan is $500,000 for student and $100K for their dependent. The deductible amount works a little different from the standard plan.
• The deductible for the expense incurred outside of the US is $25. Within the US and with a PPO provider, the deductible is $25 and for a Non PPO provider, the deductible is $50. This is a per injury illness deductible. The co-insurance works the same way as in the Standard plan. Platinum plan provides coverage for Maternity and new born care which is not available in the Standard plan.
• Both the standard and the platinum plans cover Sports, mental health... Both the plans also cover acute onset of pre-existing conditions. The standard plan has a 12 month waiting period for coverage of pre-existing conditions and the Platinum plan has 6 month waiting period for coverage of pre-existing conditions.