Carnegie Mellon University
Office of Enrollment Management  ›  Office of International Education  ›  Maintaining Status  ›  Resources  ›  Health Insurance

Health Insurance Requirements

All J exchange visitors (J-1 students, scholars, and their dependents) are required by U.S. federal law to have health insurance that meets minimum standards set by the government. Health insurance is a necessity for everyone living in the U.S. because of the high cost of routine and emergency health care, as well as prescription medicine. 

It is important to note that international students and scholars are not eligible for public benefits available to U.S. citizens with low incomes. Accepting any such public benefits can cause you to lose your legal status in the U.S. and create a bar to your re-entry to the U.S.

To meet the minimum standards, the health insurance selected by scholars must meet or exceed the below requirements: 

  • Medical benefits of at least $100,000 per accident or illness
  • Payment for repatriation (preparation and transportation of remains to home country) in case of death in the amount of $25,000
  • Payment for medical evacuation (transportation to home country on advice of attending physician) in the amount of $50,000
  • A deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness

Additionally, to comply with these regulations, health insurance policies must be underwritten by corporations having good financial ratings, specifically one of the following:

  • M. Best rating of A- or above
  • McGraw Hill Financial/Standard & Poor’s Claims- paying Ability rating of ‘A- or above
  • Weiss Research, Inc. rating of ‘‘B+’’ or above
  • Fitch Ratings, Inc. rating of ‘‘A-’’ or above
  • Moody’s Investor Services rating of ‘‘A3’’ or above

In addition to the regulations for J Exchange Visitors, another U.S. law requires health insurance coverage.  Under the "Affordable Care Act (ACA)," individuals who do not maintain "a minimum of essential healthcare coverage" must make an additional payment to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) when they pay their taxes. Visitors in J status are exempt from this additional tax payment if they are nonresidents for tax purposes but would still be required to maintain health coverage that meets the J regulations. 

J-1 Exchange Visitors who will not receive benefits from Carnegie Mellon University, and who do not have health insurance from another source that meets the above minimum standards, must purchase health insurance. All J-1 Exchange Visitors must read, sign and submit OIE's J-1 Scholar Health Insurance Agreement (pdf) to verify that they comply with the required federal regulations regarding health insurance. 

Important: Failure of the J-1 exchange visitor and their J-2 dependent(s) to maintain adequate health insurance may result in the loss of their legal J immigration status.

J exchange visitors who qualify for Carnegie Mellon employee benefits are eligible to enroll in qualifying health insurance plans, and must do so, for themselves and their dependents. Consult your hiring department to determine if you are unsure if you qualify for employment benefits.

It should be noted that health insurance coverage available as an employment benefit through CMU does not cover repatriation or medical evacuation that meet the State Department's requirements as the coverage does not apply to people in the U.S. who would need transport to their home country.  J-1 scholars receiving health insurance coverage through CMU will need to purchase supplemental repatriation and medical evacuation coverage separately. Coverage may be purchased from any vendor as long as it meets the minimum coverage requirements listed above.  Some insurance providers who offer this supplement coverage include:

Please note: OIE is not affiliated with any of the companies listed above and does not endorse any specific provider.  Additionally, we cannot recommend specific plans or guarantee that they will be accepted by Pittsburgh-area providers. While the companies listed above currently offer insurance plans that satisfy the minimum U.S Department of State (DoS) requirements, the J exchange visitor must check with the company directly to make sure that the health coverage meets the minimum DoS requirements, as services are subject to change.

J exchange visitors who are not paid by Carnegie Mellon or who do not qualify for Carnegie Mellon employee benefits, and who do not have the required health insurance coverage from another source, will need to purchase their own health insurance (for themselves and their dependents).  Any health insurance purchased must meet the minimum requirements listed above.

The following list is a sample of companies that provide health insurance plans that meet the regulations for J-1 students and exchange visitors:

Please note: OIE is not affiliated with any of the companies listed above and does not endorse any specific provider.  Additionally, we cannot recommend specific plans or guarantee that they will be accepted by Pittsburgh-area providers. While the companies listed above currently offer insurance plans that satisfy the minimum U.S Department of State (DoS) requirements, the J exchange visitor must check with the company directly to make sure that the health coverage meets the minimum DoS requirements, as services are subject to change.

Quick Links: