J-1/J-2 Health Insurance Requirements

Minimum coverage must meet or exceed the following:

• Medical benefits of at least $100,000 per accident or illness;
• A deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness;
• Repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000; and
• Expenses associated with the medical evacuation of the exchange visitor to their home country in the amount of $50,000.
   

• Underwritten by an insurance corporation having an A.M. best rating of A- or above, an Insurance Solvency International rating of A-i or above, a Standard & Poor's claims-paying ability rating of A- or above, a Weiss Research rating of B+ or above; or
• Backed by the full faith and credit of the government of the exchange visitor's home country; or
• Part of a health benefits program offered on a group basis to employees or enrolled students by a designated sponsor; or
• Offered through or underwritten by a federally qualified Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) or eligible Competitive Medical Plan (CMP) as determined by the Health Care Financing Administration of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Important Notes:

• Travel insurance does not meet the minimum coverage requirements for J-1 scholars and their J-2 dependents.
• ISSS recommends that scholars purchase health insurance from a US company. However, if a scholar chooses to go with a foreign entity, they must have an insurance claims office located in the US.
• The insurance policy must also comply with the Affordable Care Act, if applicable.

Since insurance coverage needs vary, ISSS cannot advise exchange visitors on which insurance company is best for them and their family members (if applicable). However, when selecting an insurance company, exchange visitors will need to consider a number of factors. Some questions to ask may include, but not limited to, the following:

• Does the plan meet the US Department of State's J-1 health insurance requirements?
• Does the exchange visitor have a pre-existing condition? If so, does the plan cover it at the time of enrollment or is there a waiting period (typically six months but could be longer)?
• How long will the exchange visitor be in the US? If they will be in the US for an extended period of time, will they require routine medical care which is typically not covered by "accidental and occasional" plans?
• Does the J-1 have J-2 dependents who will also require health insurance?
• Does the J-1 anticipate having a baby or requiring surgery while in the US?  

Emory's Aetna POS or Kaiser Permanente Plans for Employees

Emory employees are eligible for subsidized health insurance as part of their benefits package. Learn more about the health insurance benefit on Human Resource's Medical Coverage page. Scholars who are not sure if they are eligible for employee benefits should contact their host/hiring department's administrator.

Benefits eligible J-1 scholars have the option to select either the Aetna POS or the Kaiser Permanente plan. However, please be aware that scholars who are currently seeing Emory Clinic providers (or any other providers), will need to switch to Kaiser Permanente providers if they choose the Kaiser Permanente plan. To learn more about how this plan works, review the Kaiser Permanente Plan page and read these FAQs.

ISO and ISP for International Scholars

ISO and ISP offer a variety of plans designed specifically for J-1 scholars and their J-2 dependents. Scholars can enroll in an ISO or ISP plan online prior to arriving in the US and before completing ISSS check-in and orientation. Coverage must be from the start date to the end date listed on the DS-2019, but please be aware that both ISP and ISO have a maximum enrollment period of 12 months. Scholars whose J-1 program duration is more than one year, will be required to re-enroll before the current enrollment period ends.

When choosing an insurance company and plan for themselves and their family members (if applicable), scholars should consider the factors listed in the "Selecting a Health Insurance Company/Plan" section (above). For questions regarding enrollment and insurance plans, please contact the company directly. Phone numbers and email addresses can be found on their websites.

• ISO: Visit the ISO website
• ISP: Visit the ISP website

Other Options

Exchange visitors over the age of 64 may not be eligible for the plans mentioned above. As a result, scholars who do not meet the eligibility requirements for one of these plans will need to enroll in an alternative plan. Plans for scholars over the age of 64 can carry higher costs. The insurance companies listed below offer plans that meet the Department of State’s requirements and accept applicants over the age of 64. Be aware that scholars are solely responsible to review and determine which insurance plan is right for them.

• Compass Student Insurance
• Cultural Insurance Services International
• International SOS
• International Student Insurance

J-1 scholars must report their health insurance information to ISSS. Scholars will submit this information initially when completing the J-1 New Scholar Arrival e-form in ISSS Link. This e-form must be completed within ten days of their J-1 program start date as part of the International Scholar Check-in process.

J-1 scholars must complete the Continuing J-1 Scholar Health Insurance Confirmation e-form in ISSS Link if one of the following occurs:

• A scholar's health insurance plan changes.
• Their J-1 program is extended.

Note: J-1 students who are registered for classes at Emory do not need to report insurance coverage to ISSS, because they either are automatically enrolled in Emory's student health insurance plan or purchase another insurance plan that meets Emory's requirements and complete an online waiver.