Although you will never be refused admission to hospital or left on the street by an ambulance because you cannot produce a credit card, it is essential that you are insured for medical expenses. If you suffer a catastrophic illness or injury and are uninsured, you may be asked for a deposit of between $5,000 and $15,000. The daily costs of a bed will be high, and a private room will be around $1000 a day; hospitals sometimes pass debts on to debt collectors who may follow you back to your own country and demand payment on behalf of their client.

If you have any illness that requires regular drugs make sure that you take sufficient supplies with you. American pharmacists will not honor foreign prescriptions.

If you are sent out to the USA with a company it is more than likely that medical insurance will be part of the package: check this with your personnel department. Students will be able to benefit from cheaper premiums for the under 25s. Most colleges have a clinic or health center, which will offer free advice and basic treatment. They do not run emergency units or out-of-hours service so it is a good idea to check which hospitals and emergency units they recommend.

Restrictions on entry

No vaccinations are required to enter the USA from any country. Green cards will not be granted to applicants already in the USA as refugees or aliens on immigrant visas if they are found to have HIV antibodies or AIDS at the required medical examination. Although HIV antibody testing for visitors is not compulsory, admission is refused to people discovered to have HIV or AIDS (on the grounds of likely health care costs). Possession on entry of the drugs for treating HIV and AIDS (e.g., AZT) may be sufficient to prevent entry. If you are HIV positive you must apply for a waiver to accompany your visa, and your period of entry may be restricted. Tourist visas will not be issued to those who are HIV positive.