J-1 Health Insurance Requirements

What is the Health Insurance Compliance Form?

Federal regulations require all J-1 Exchange Visitors and their J-2 dependents to maintain comprehensive medical insurance meeting specific minimum requirements from the start date of the J-1 program (indicated in item 3 of the DS-2019) and continuing to the end of the J-1 program. Coverage must continue without breaks or lapses even if the J-1 visa holder travels outside of the US for an extended period of time during their J-1 program.

Please note that ISSS does not review specific policies to determine compliance or appropriateness for your situation. We recommend that you consult directly with your insurance company regarding compliance with J-1/J-2 regulations. Furthermore, ISSS does not endorse or recommend one insurance program over another.

Accessing the Insurance Compliance Form

Please use the tabs below to navigate to your J-1 type and click the image at the top to access your Insurance Compliance form.

Click Here for the J-1 Scholar eForm

Information About Health Insurance for Employees

If you will be working for CSU in a position that makes you eligible for CSU employee health insurance, please be aware of the following:

CSU offers employees four different health insurance options.  The only CSU health insurance plan that meets the J-1 deductible requirement is the Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield POINT-OF-SERVICE (POS) Plan. If you purchase this plan, you will still need a separate policy that covers you for repatriation and evacuation expenses. CSU offers an add-on Travel Assistance plan through The Harford Life Insurance that includes adequate repatriation and evacuation coverage.

CSU employees may choose to enroll in one of the lower cost plans, including the CSU GREEN Plan, CSU GOLD Plan, or CSU RAM PLAN-HDHP.  If you do, please be aware that none of these plans meet the J-1 minimum requirements.  Therefore, you will need to purchase an additional comprehensive health insurance policy that meets all the J-1 minimum requirements including repatriation and medical evacuation.

CSU Benefits Plans

Click Here for the J-1 Student Form

J-1 students are automatically enrolled in the CSU student health insurance plan, which meets all the J-1 requirements. However, their J-2 dependents are not eligible to enroll in the CSU student health insurance plan (unless the J-2 dependent is also enrolled as a CSU student.) This means that J-1 students must submit this form for any J-2 dependents who are accompanying them in the U.S.

Instructions for Completing This Form

  1. Fill out Page 2 with the requested insurance information.
    • If dependents have different health insurance policies, submit one copy of the form for each dependent.
  2. Submit the completed form to ISSS by email.

Regulations

As per the regulations, ISSS is required to terminate the SEVIS record of a J-1 Exchange Visitor who:

  • Does not provide ISSS with a valid Insurance Compliance eForm by the start of the J-1 program
  • Does not submit an updated Insurance Compliance eForm after the previously reported insurance changes or expires.
    • An exchange visitor seeking to extend their J-1 program must submit an updated Insurance Compliance eForm.

Please note: Health care in the United States tends to be very expensive. Regardless of regulations, no responsible individual should work or live in the United States without health insurance coverage.

22 C.F.R. §62.14 describes exchange visitor health insurance requirements as follows

  • Medical benefits of at least $100,000 per person per accident or illness;
  • Repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000;
  • Expenses associated with the medical evacuation of exchange visitors to his or her home country in the amount of $50,000; and
  • Deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness; and
  • Co-insurance not to exceed 25% of covered benefits per accident or illness.

As per the regulations, CSU is required to terminate the SEVIS record of any J-1 student whose J-2 dependents do not maintain the appropriate health insurance for the duration of the program.

Definitions of Terms

  • Medical benefit: The amount of money the insurance company will pay if you get sick or injured;
  • Repatriation of remains: The amount of money the insurance company will pay to return your remains to your
    home country if you pass away in the United States;
  • Medical evacuation: The amount of money the insurance company will pay to transport you to your home
    country for care if you become very sick or injured in the United States;
  • Deductible: The amount of money you must pay before your insurance coverage will begin;
  • Co-Insurance: The portion of any remaining bill you must pay after you have paid your deductible

Insurance policies secured to fulfill the requirements

  • May require a waiting period for pre-existing conditions that is reasonable as determined by current industry standards;
  • Must not unreasonably exclude coverage for perils inherent to the activities of the exchange visitor’s J-1 program.

Here is a list of some insurance companies that provide insurance online. This list is not comprehensive, but could be a good starting point in your research.

*These companies offer repatriation and medical evacuation insurance that you can purchase separately.