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International Services and Engagement Office ISEO
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  4. J-1 Health Insurance

J-1 Health Insurance

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Medical care in the U.S. is expensive and can be complicated to navigate. Do not wait to understand how your insurance plan works. Identify a health care provider and urgent care center within your plan's network now!

J-1 exchange visitors are required to maintain health insurance coverage that meets U.S. Department of State requirements (listed on page two of the DS-2019) for themselves and any J-2 dependents for the duration of their program. Minimum levels of health insurance for catastrophic coverage is a condition of participation in the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program.

Any J-1 scholar who willfully refuses to comply with this requirement shall be considered to be in violation of their J-1 exchange visitor status, and the program sponsor (UC San Diego) will be obligated to terminate their program in SEVIS.

Please follow the steps below to make sure you and all J-2 family members have adequate health insurance in the U.S. Contact ischolars@ucsd.edu if you have any questions.

Step 1: Review the Requirements

U.S. Department of State Health Insurance Requirements for all J Exchange Visitors

The following table summarizes the U.S. Department of State health insurance requirements for J-1 scholars and their J-2 dependents as listed on page 2 of your DS-2019 at 1(f). The health insurance must cover the exchange visitor and any J-2 dependents for the duration of the J-1 program.

Item Minimum Requirement
Medical Benefit $100,000 per person, per year or accident
*May include provision for co-insurance under the terms of which the exchange visitor may be required to pay up to 25 percent of the covered benefits per accident or illness
Medical Evacuation $50,000 to their home country
Repatriation of Remains $25,000
Deductible Cannot exceed $500 per accident or illness
Preexisting Conditions Cannot exclude altogether coverage for preexisting conditions although it may require a waiting period for them

Additionally, the insurance corporation underwriting the policy must have one of the following ratings:

A.M. Best rating of “A-” or above
Insurance Solvency International, Ltd. (ISI) rating of “A-i” or above
Standard & Poor’s Claims paying Ability rating of “A-” or above
Weiss Research, Inc. rating of B+ or above
Coverage backed by the full faith and credit of the government of my home country
McGraw Hill Financial/Standard & Poor’s Claims-paying Ability rating of “A-“ or above
Moody’s Investor Services rating of “A3” or above

Resident Aliens and the Affordable Care Act (ACA)

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This only applies to J-1 scholars who may be considered a resident alien for tax purposes (unrelated to immigrant status). See Determining Alien Tax Status and follow instructions for the Substantial Presence Test.

Depending on how long you remain in the U.S., you may become subject to the terms of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Affordable Care Act (ACA) provisions require that individuals be enrolled in ACA-compliant insurance plans. Whether individuals are subject to this mandate is determined by your tax status, NOT immigration status (see Tax Resources).

If you are a non-resident alien for tax purposes:

  • You are NOT subject to the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

If you are a resident alien for tax purposes:

  • You MUST be enrolled in an ACA-compliant insurance. Failure to comply in the past resulted in an IRS penalty ("Individual Shared Responsibility") but the current law has removed this penalty. 
  • UC San Diego Employees and Postdocs:
    • All UC San Diego employee-provided insurance plans and the Gallagher plans for Postdoctoral Scholars are ACA-compliant. 
  • Visiting Scholars:
    • The Gallagher plans for visiting academics (not postdocs) are not ACA-compliant. 
  • If you have questions about your non-UCSD plan, contact the insurance plan administrators directly and confirm that your insurance plan is ACA-compliant.
  • If you are seeking to enroll in other insurance plans, note that nonimmigrants are allowed to enroll in marketplace insurance exchanges established by the ACA enactment (see list) and also the main marketplace website. 

Note: All J-1 scholars are required to maintain insurance that meets the federal regulatory requirement for this nonimmigrant classification and the requirements imposed by the University of California, San Diego, regardless of your tax residency status.

Step 2: Enroll In Health Insurance

Postdoctoral Scholar J-1 Exchange Visitors

Option 1: If you enroll in the UC Postdoctoral Scholar Benefit Plan:

Postdoctoral Scholars are eligible for the UC Postdoctoral Scholar Benefit Plan and may enroll online. The UC Postdoctoral Scholar Benefit Plan meets the medical evacuation and repatriation (MER) requirements and is ACA-compliant. After you enroll, submit the J-1 Insurance Verification Form in iServices to complete your J-1 health insurance requirement. 

Option 2: If you plan to enroll in your own health insurance plan:

If you do not enroll in the UC Postdoctoral Scholar Benefit Plan and have instead purchased a different qualifying insurance, please complete the Gallagher waiver process. After you receive a waiver, submit the J-1 Insurance Verification Form in iServices to complete your J-1 health insurance requirement. 

UC San Diego Employee J-1 Exchange Visitors (Paid by UC San Diego, excluding postdocs)

Option 1: Enroll in a UCSD Health Insurance Plan for Employees:

  1. Check with your department administrator to see if you are benefits-eligible.
  2. If benefits-eligible, choose coverage through a UC San Diego health plan that meets the J-1 minimum requirements. None of the UC San Diego plans cover medical evacuation and repatriation of remains (MER), so this will need to be purchased separately.
    NOTE: The UC San Diego "CORE" Plan or Health Savings Plans ARE NOT compliant with Federal Regulations! Do not enroll in these plans. 
  3. Purchase MER insurance and submit proof of MER in the J-1 Insurance Verification Form in iServices to complete your J-1 health insurance requirement.

Option 2: Enroll in an Alternative Health Insurance Plan:

  • If you choose to enroll in a qualifying insurance plan other than a UC San Diego health insurance plan, please complete the Gallagher waiver process.
  • After you receive a waiver from Gallagher, submit the J-1 Insurance Verification Form in iServices to complete your J-1 health insurance requirement. 

All Other UC San Diego J-1 Exchange Visitors

Option 1: UC San Diego Visiting Scholar Benefit Plan:

The Office of Postdoctoral and Visiting Scholar Affairs, the Graduate Division, and the International Services and Engagement Office have partnered with Gallagher to design the UC San Diego Visiting Scholar Benefit Plan; all J-1 Exchange Visitors and their dependents are eligible to enroll online. The UC San Diego Visiting Scholar Benefit Plan meets the medical evacuation and repatriation requirements. After you enroll, submit the J-1 Insurance Verification Form in iServices to complete your J-1 health insurance requirement. 

Option 2: Enroll in an Alternative Health Insurance Plan:

If you choose to enroll in a qualifying plan other than the UC San Diego Visiting Scholar Benefit Plan:

  1. Request that your prospective insurance company verify that the policy meets the J-1 minimum requirements.
  2. Complete the Gallagher waiver process.
  3. After you receive a waiver, submit the J-1 Insurance Verification Form in iServices to complete your J-1 health insurance requirement. 

Step 3: Submit Verification to ISEO

J-1 Insurance Verification Form

Submit the J-1 Insurance Verification Form in iServices to complete your J-1 health insurance requirement. This form can be found after logging in by clicking on the 'J-1 Scholar Services' category in the left menu. An advisor will review your request and update your record to show your compliance with J-1 regulations.

View iServices Instructions for Scholars for additional instructions on how to log-in to iServices.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How Do I Complete the Waiver Process?

What is the waiver process?

  • The waiver process is used to verify that a scholar's health insurance meets the J-1 regulatory requirements. Gallagher is an insurance broker that reviews waiver requests to ensure compliance.
  • A waiver request must be submitted by anyone on a J-1 program who obtained their own insurance plan. The plan can be from a home country or from an alternative health insurance provider in the U.S.
  • You do not need to submit a waiver if you enrolled in the UC Visiting Scholar Benefit Plan, UC Postdoc Plan, or the Kaiser, UC Blue & Gold, or UC Care plans for UC San Diego employees - these plans meet the J-1 requirements.
    • Note: UC San Diego health insurance plans require the purchasing of supplemental medical evacuation and repatriation of remains (MER) coverage.
    • CORE and Health Savings plans for UCSD employees are NOT compliant with J-1 regulations.

How do I submit the waiver request?

  • Submit the online Waiver Form through the Gallagher website. Prepare documents that show proof of insurance coverage meeting the J-1 requirements stated above.
    • Documents must be translated into English and converted to U.S. dollar amounts.
  • After you receive a waiver email confirmation, submit the J-1 Insurance Verification Form in iServices to complete your J-1 health insurance requirement. 

What is Medical Evacuation and Repatriation (MER) Insurance and How Do I Purchase It?

What is Medical Evacuation and Repatriation (MER)?

J-1 visitors and any J-2 dependents must be covered by health insurance that meets the minimum federal requirements for coverage as listed on page 2 of the DS-2019. These are the minimum requirements for Medical Evacuation and Repatriation (MER) coverage.

Item Minimum Requirement
Medical Evacuation $50,000 to their home country
Repatriation of Remains $25,000

UC San Diego non-postdoc employees must purchase MER coverage separately because the health insurance plans for UCSD employees (Kaiser, UC Blue & Gold, and UC Care) do not include MER coverage.

How can I purchase MER coverage?

You may purchase any MER coverage that meets the requirements outlined above.

MER Coverage Options (apply online):

UC-Sponsored MER Coverage (physical mail application required):
  • A-G Administrators Plan Form (UC System sponsored)
  • Note: A-G requires purchasing coverage in 1 year increments, does not prorate, and does not offer the option for online transactions. For the last question on the form, you may list "ISEO at UCSD" as your International Scholar Advisor.

How do I submit MER coverage to ISEO?

Submit proof of MER coverage in the J-1 Insurance Verification Form in iServices to complete your J-1 health insurance requirement. 

  • You will need to upload:
    • Proof of enrollment and payment with your name (and J-2 family members' if applicable)
    • Policy details in English with MER specifics in U.S. dollar amounts and appropriate policy rating
      • See "Step 1: Know the requirements for more information."

What Are Some Health Insurance Providers for Non-Employees of UCSD?

Gallagher Visiting Scholar Benefit Plan - Endorsed by UC San Diego

Phone: (888) 441-3719
Email: UniversityServices.GBS.vabp@ajg.com 

The Office of Postdoctoral and Visiting Scholar Affairs, the Graduate Division, and the International Services and Engagement Office have partnered with Gallagher to design the UC San Diego Visiting Scholar Benefit Plan.

Some Additional providers - Not Endorsed by UC San Diego:

BETiNS
Phone: (866) 552-8834
Email: info@betins.com

Compass Benefits Group
Phone: (800) 683-1468
Email: studentplans@compassbenefits.com

International Student Insurance
Phone: (877) 758-4391
Email: info@internationalstudentinsurance.com 

International Student Organization
Phone: (800) 244-1180
Email: kziv@isoa.org

International Medical Group, Inc
Phone: (800) 628-4664
Email: insurance@imglobal.com

Patriot Insurance (offers coverage for ages over 64)
Phone: (317) 655-4500

Virtual Webinars and Additional Information

Virtual Webinars - Insurance Talk Tuesdays

Join Gallagher Benefit Services for recurring Insurance Talk Tuesdays on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of every month starting from October 2025.

The webinar will discuss insurance terminology, the U.S. healthcare system, and the benefits under the visiting scholar plans offered by Gallagher. Ask questions and connect with the Visiting Scholar Account Manager at 12:30pm PST / 3:30pm EST. No registration necessary.

General Health Insurance Information

Visit ISEO's Health Information webpage for general information, including definitions of common health insurance terms, information on counseling, dental, and vision coverage.

Understanding Insurance Terminology

Gallagher has acreated a reference sheet with general health insurance terminology.

Know Your Insurance Provider

Your insurance carrier/provider (i.e. Health Net, IMG, etc.) will depend on your specific selection, please review your health insurance card/documents closely as your insurance carrier/provider will be noted on them.

Catastrophic Health Insurance Coverage

The U.S. Department of State indicates the required minimum health insurance coverage amounts on page two of the DS-2019 for anyone participating in a J-1 program. These minimum coverage amounts are intended to cover catastrophic health insurance needs, rather than provide comprehensive health insurance.

Catastrophic health insurance coverage typically has high deductibles/out of pocket expenses and is meant to cover emergencies (e.g. accident requiring hospitalization). Catastrophic health coverage may not include vaccine coverage, require pre-certification for doctors visits, and may not include preventative care coverage. 

The Postdoc and UC San Diego health insurance plans provide comprehensive health insurance coverage. Please review your health insurance to determine if it provides catastrophic or comprehensive coverage.