Required Health Insurance

Visiting students, researchers and professors who hold a J-1 visa are required by the U.S. Department of State to carry insurance coverage for themselves and any J-2 dependents who are accompanying them. The regulations, 22 C.F.R. Part 62.14(a), state that “sponsors shall require each exchange visitor to have insurance in effect which covers the exchange visitor for sickness or accident during the period of time that an exchange visitor participates in the sponsor’s exchange visitor program.” In this case, UTEP is the sponsor. This means by law, we must require proof of insurance and be able to prove to the U.S. Department of State that UTEP is in compliance with this federal regulation.

The federal regulations are very specific regarding the amount and type of insurance required:

•    Medical benefits of at least $50,000 per accident or illness;
•    Repatriation of remains in the amount of $7,500;
•    Expenses associated with the medical evacuation of the exchange visitor to his or her home country in the amount of $10,000; and
•    A deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness.

Maintaining insurance coverage is a term of the J visa. No one is exempted from this requirement. An exchange visitor who willfully fails to maintain insurance or who provides false documentation will be subject to termination as a participant in the Exchange Visitor Program.

J-1 Exchange Visitor Health Insurance Coverage Options

Many J-1 visitors are provided health insurance by UTEP as a benefit of their paid research or teaching position. Please check with your host department to determine if you are eligible for UTEP health insurance benefits. If you are benefits eligible, UTEP offers two policies, United Healthcare and UT Select, Blue Cross Blue Shield. A Health Insurance Confirmation Form will be given to you at the OIP check-in and orientation.
If you are not being paid by UTEP and/or do not receive health insurance benefits, there are a couple of options you in order to satisfy this requirement. We have provided a list of different type of health insurance plans for international students and exchange visitors. Please refer to our website page “Other Health Insurance Plans” for additional information.
 

J-1 visitors may also bring insurance from their home country that will cover them for the entire time they are in the U.S. In order to satisfy the insurance requirements the policy must be in English and the insurance amounts must be provided in U.S. dollars. Usually an English copy of the Declarations page will be sufficient if it shows:
o    names of the insured people on the policy
o    descriptions, amounts and dates of coverage