International Student and Scholar Services

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Current International Scholars

Health insurance requirement for J-1 scholars and their J-2 dependents

As soon as you arrive in the US, you and your dependents are required by law to have medical insurance with the provisions outlined below. This insurance must be paid in full to cover you and your dependents for the duration of your Form DS-2019. Within two weeks of your arrival, you must sign and provide to ISSS the Exchange Visitor Program P-1-00212 Health Insurance Requirement Certification (HIRC), thereby certifying that you have obtained health insurance coverage for yourself and your dependents during your stay in Exchange Visitor Program P-1-00212, and that your health insurance meets the minimum requirements outlined below. By signing the HIRC, you also certify that you understand and accept that your participation in this Exchange Visitor Program will be terminated if ISSS determines that you or any accompanying J-2 dependent willfully fails to remain in compliance with the U.S. State Department’s regulations governing required health insurance coverage for Exchange Visitor Program participants.

(a) Required Coverage - At minimum, insurance coverage shall include the following basic benefits:

1. Coverage period: the complete time the insured person will be affiliated with the University of Miami as an exchange visitor or dependent of an exchange visitor;

2. Medical benefits: at least $50,000 per accident or illness;

3. Deductible: should not exceed $500 per illness or injury;

4. Repatriation: $7,500 (coverage to return remains to home country);

5. Medical evacuation; $10,000 (expenses associated with the medical evacuation of the exchange visitor or dependent thereof to the home country).

(b) Maintenance of Insurance - Exchange visitors must maintain the required insurance during the duration of the program. Due to the high costs of medical care in this country, we also encourage the exchange visitor to purchase insurance that will cover him or her and dependents for the trip to the U.S.

1. Exchange visitors who need to purchase insurance in the U.S. may purchase the required coverage designed for University of Miami visitors from United Health Care (UHC) or other insurance company (To purchase UHC coverage, complete the Visiting Scholar Insurance Enrollment Form, available at www.miami.edu/student-health).

2. If the exchange visitor will be insured through one of the University's employee insurance plans, it is important to keep in mind the following:

  • The University's employee health insurance plans do not cover the required repatriation and medical evacuation coverage. The exchange visitor will need to purchase the required coverage to supplement the University's employee health insurance plans. The exchange visitor may purchase this coverage from UHC or other insurance company (To purchase UHC coverage for medical evacuation and repatriation, complete the Medical Evacuation and Repatriation Insurance Enrollment Form, available at www.miami.edu/student-health).
  • The University's employee health insurance plans do not go into effect until 60 days after the date of acceptance or the date of hire. Between the date of arrival and the date the insurance goes into effect, the exchange visitor must have or obtain the required health insurance for exchange visitors and dependents. The exchange visitor may purchase this coverage from UHC or other insurance company.

It is recommended that you have any necessary dental work completed prior to coming, as this tends to be expensive in the United States. It is also recommended that you bring an extra pair of eyeglasses or contact lenses and your prescription. If you take regular medications, it is advised that you bring a large enough supply to cover your intended stay while in the United States. Sometimes these medications are not available and therefore this may affect your health status.

For additional information, please contact Claudia Zitzmann, Associate Director, at czitzmann@miami.edu or at (305) 284-2928.