J-1 medical insurance

U.S. Department of State regulations require all J-1 Exchange Visitors to have medical insurance for themselves and any accompanying J-2 family members for the duration of their program. In addition, J-1 Exchange visitors and their J-2 dependents may be subject to the requirements of the Affordable Care Act.

Willful violation of the insurance requirements can result in termination of your J-1 program by the ISSC, in accordance with immigration regulations. Fulfilling this insurance requirement is essential, not only because of the U.S. Department of State regulations, but because medical treatment in the United States can be very expensive, especially without proper insurance coverage.

It is the J-1 Exchange Visitor’s responsibility to notify the ISSC of dependents who are currently in the United States or who arrive later and present evidence of appropriate insurance coverage for them. You must provide proof of continuous insurance coverage to the ISSC before it expires. The insurance coverage you have or will have must meet or exceed the legal requirement stated below.

If you are a benefits eligible employee, please note that ASU medical insurance does not currently meet J-1 Medical Insurance Requirements. Thus, eligible ASU Exchange Visitor employees electing an ASU health insurance plan will also need to purchase a separate insurance policy to be in compliance.

Please review the below information for details on requirements and resources.