the obstacle race of insurance as an HIV + international student

[urovoro]

I have been denied coverage by two companies while I am an international student in Germany. I have been here a month and am getting a bit worried because I have not been very good with my pill regiment and I have a cold that isnt going away. I am supposed to stay for another 4 months. Yet in order to stay with a student visa I must have insurance!

Has anyone ever been in a similar situation, trying to get insurance outside your home country as an international student? Did you resolve it?

I was also here in 2011 when I was diagnosed with HIV and hospitalized for a month because they thought I might have peripheral neuropathy (which luckily I don't). This hospitalization seems to made me a persona non grata in the insurance business.

Does all this prove that life after HIV will never be the same? Will my education and career prospects be limited from now on? All this has got me depressed, and I am angry and want to fight these obstacles!

[marc11864]

Hi urovoro,

Just to clarify, you're attending school in Germany currently. Is that correct? Also, what country do you call home?

I'm not sure I can help but a little more information would help me to know better who I might ask some questions of.

I know that sometimes it is easier said than done, but try not to get down. Look at it as a temporary bump in the road that you need to overcome and focus on your classes. Fulfilling your education will go a lot farther opening doors for you in the long run in relation to your employment and health.

[mecch]

Surprised that German companies can turn down someone with pre-existing conditions!  In Switzerland, all companies must offer the basic policy to anyone. 

Don't let this German situation, if unresolvable, curtail your education plans.  Plan ahead and find the country that is going to offer you the insurance.

[urovoro]

Hi, I was able to get insurance now from another company, but it states very clearly not for pre-existing conditions. My school administrator jokingly said: not if you already come with cancer. I could sue him for his stupid jokes (which I dont get), but maybe its cultural.

To answer your question, my passport is Canadian, though I haven't called Canada home in a while. I also wanted to to apply for my PhD next year in either the US or Germany... But looking at this insurance business, I am not sure how about it anymore. Canada also does not provide medication for citizens who live outside the country, and as you all know medication is super expensive.

Anyone have any advice for getting insurance as an international student in the US? I guess I might have to find a PhD close enough to the Canadian border so that I can manage being in two countries at once.

[mecch]

If you are Canadian, and Canada has socialised medicine, what's keeping you from doing your PHD at a Canadian University.

[Matts]

sounds quite strange that you didn't get insurance in Germany. Everybody gets insurance here; the public companies have to accept everybody under german law. It is your civil right.

Call the AOK (AOK.de), they have to give You an insurance.

Link: http://www.aok-on.de/studierende/aok-studenten-service/foreign-students-information.html

Quote from AOK:"If you cannot be insured through your family, you must take out your own insurance. All statutory health insurance companies, included the AOK, offer a Student Health Insurance policy at especially attractive rates. At present the monthly insurance contribution amounts 64,77 EUR. An additional 11,64 EUR (13,13 EUR for students older than 23 years without own children) is due for the statutory nursing care insurance.

With the AOK Student Health Insurance you can be sure of getting excellent medical care. Your insurance takes effect from the day you enrol or re-register at a college or university and remains valid until the completion of the 14th semester - or until you are 30 years old. Exceptions are possible, however, if an extension is justified for family or other important personal reasons, for instance serious illness or the birth of a child.

Students from countries with which Germany has a Social Security Agreement including an insurance clause may remain insured in their home country. In this case, all you need to do is present your insurance certificate (European Health Insurance Card: EHIC) from home to your local AOK office. We will take care of the rest.
Please contact the Foreign Student Office (Akademisches Auslandsamt) for more information. "

[urovoro]

thank you for the information! I will try that insurance company.

I guess there aren't many international students on the forum, because there weren't replies of people telling their stories of being students with HIV in another country.

I know that in the general view of things my problem isn't existant. I have automatic health care in my country.

Thank you all for replying to my post and your thoughts.

[Topman]

Hi urovoro,

I am planning to attend university in Germany and knowing the insurance requirement there, I am a bit worry now. I am over 30 years old and if I'm not mistaken, I am not eligible for public insurance (which I believe can't refuse you) and can only go private.

Mind telling the name of the company you managed to get the insurance from?

Cheers

[Matts]

I'm sure You find a good public insurance. I like the DAK.de and SBK.org.

here you have a list of all public:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_der_gesetzlichen_Krankenkassen_in_Deutschland

and the private Companies (mostly quite expensive):
http://www.krankenkassentarife.de/baseportal/pkvliste

goog luck

[sontan]

Hi urovoro, i am planning to go study to germany too. Do you mind if i get in touch with you so I can ask you some questions? Im from El Salvador

[mecch]

The thread is almost 3 years old, Sontan.

[Jeff G]

The thread is almost 3 years old, Sontan.

Yeah … I should have posted but I did send the him a PM yesterday letting him know to check those dates to see how old a thread is.