International student (F1) health insurance

Guys, I'd like to share my experience because health insurance was a concern for me as an international student with a limited budget, and I know the struggle. I almost had a heart attack when I learned how expensive my school's health insurance plan was… I started to look for other options to fulfill their waiver requirements, and I came across this website: https://www.wellaway.com/en/ My university did not want to accept my waiver at first because they didn't believe it was CMS-certified and ACA-compliant since it is based outside the US, but we double-checked, and it turns out it is https://www.cms.gov/files/document/mec-approved-plans.pdf They do have their claims department in the US. After many emails and phone calls, they have accepted my coverage, and I will save a LOT of money, and probably other students at my school will, too. So, guys, there are options out there. Stay informed, work with your school, do your research, and ask questions. I feel schools are interested in this particular topic because they want students to enroll in their super-expensive plans in the name of students' "safety and well-being." I truly hope this information helps!

submitted by /u/Beautiful-Yam-1290
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