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J1 Exchange Visitor Health Insurance - Specifications
If you are J-1 exchange visitor in the US, you must carry health insurance for yourself and your J-2 dependents for the full duration of the J program. Government regulations stipulate that if one willfully fails to carry health insurance, then the J-1 sponsor must terminate the exchange visitor program and report the termination to the United States Department of State in Washington D.C.
It is dangerous to be in the US without adequate health insurance. In many countries, the government bears the expense of health care for its citizens and sometimes for visitors. By contrast, individuals and families in the U.S. are responsible for such costs. Since a single day of hospitalization and medical treatment can cost thousands of dollars, many hospitals and doctors refuse to treat uninsured patients, except in life-threatening emergencies.
Most Americans rely on insurance, and you should do the same. Insurance gives you access to better and more timely health care and provides the only protection against the enormous costs of health care in the US.
J1 Exchange Visitor Health Insurance - Required specifications
The Department of State has established the following requirements for the type and amounts of coverage required to maintain J-1 or J-2 status:
- Exchange Visitor Health Insurance policy must provide "medical benefits of at least $50,000 for each accident or illness." It means that an acceptable policy couldn't set a maximum lower than $50,000 in benefits for each accident or illness.
- If a J visa holder dies in the U.S., then the policy must provide at least $7,500 in repatriation benefits to send the remains to the home country for burial.
- If, because of a serious illness or injury, you must be sent home on the advice of a doctor, the policy must pay up to $10,000 for the expenses of your travel.
- Exchange Visitor Health Insurance policy may establish a waiting period before it covers pre-existing conditions (that is, health problems you had before you bought the insurance), as long as the waiting period is reasonable by current standards in the insurance business.
- If you elect to satisfy the insurance requirement through a policy issued in your home country, the policy must be backed by the full faith and credit of your government. Otherwise, the company providing the insurance must meet minimum rating requirements established by Department of State (an A.M. Best rating of "A-" or better, an Insurance Solvency International, Ltd. (ISI) rating of "A-1" or better, a Standard & Poor's Claims-Paying Ability rating of "A-" or better, or a Weiss Research, Inc. rating of "B+" or better).
J1 Exchange Visitor Health Insurance - Choosing an insurance policy
Understanding J-1 Visa Insurance can be complicated. There are many plans, various coverages, options and restrictions. Deciding on a policy that best suits your needs is not always easy.
One can compare all the major insurance policies, select and purchase a policy that best suits your preferences at Get J1 Insurance Quote.
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