Global Services

The U.S. Department of State requires all J-1 and J-2 Exchange Visitors to have medical insurance coverage. Regulations set the minimum values and types of coverage. In all cases, the medical insurance must be maintained throughout your stay in the US. Please review the presentation explaining U.S. temporary medical insurance.

Legal requirements for insurance

All insurance must satisfy two conditions, relating to (1) minimum coverage requirements and (2) the insurance provider, as shown below. The Visa Office will verify that both conditions are met by reviewing the terms of your insurance and the standing of the insurance company, and insurance that does not meet these two conditions will not be accepted.

For more information regulatory information on the medical insurance, please visit Code of Federal Regulations.

Minimum coverage requirements	Insurance provider
Medical benefits of at least $100,000 per person	A. The insurance company: Is Backed by the full faith and credit of the J Visitor’s home country; Holds 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 “Financial Strength” rating of “A-“ or above. Weiss Research, Inc. rating of “B+” or above. OR
Deductible of less than $500 per accident/illness	B. The insurance is: Offered through, or underwritten by, a federally qualified Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) or eligible Competitive Medical Plan (CMP), (as determined by the Health Care Financing Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services); or Provided by a federal, state or local government agency, state college or university, and public community college may, if permitted by law, self-insure any or all of the above-required insurance coverage.
Co-insurance of no more than 25%
Provided by Fermilab: repatriation of remains up to $25,000
Provided by Fermilab: repatriation of remains up to $25,000. Medical evacuation expenses of up to $50,000

Insurance options for employees

Many Fermilab employees receive medical insurance as a benefit provided by Fermi Research Alliance, LLC. This insurance meets the Department of State’s requirements, so employees need not purchase additional coverage before their arrival. Employees must select an insurance plan from the options presented to them within 30 days of hire. Coverage is retroactive to the date of hire, regardless of when the plan is selected.

Insurance options for users

All other users and visitors, including summer interns in J-1 status, must arrange their own medical insurance.

In some cases, medical coverage from a home country may meet regulatory requirements. However, the Visa Office requires insurance certificates in English; documents in other languages cannot be accepted. The insurance must meet the specified conditions. It is strongly recommended that individuals request a Medical Insurance Attestation in English from their home country insurer to facilitate Visa Office verification. Without this attestation, the Visa Office will perform its own verification to ensure the insurance meets the legal requirements.

U.S. insurance companies offer medical insurance that satisfies the regulatory requirements for J-1 visitors. There are two types of such insurance: (1) temporary insurance, also known as travel insurance, and (2) full coverage insurance, similar to that provided to Fermilab employees. For explanations and links to several insurance providers, see the chart below.

Temporary insurance plans	“Full coverage” insurance plans
Low cost Intended for shorter coverage periods Not intended for maintaining wellness – intended only to treat serious illness or injury No dental or vision coverage Excludes coverage for “pre-existing conditions” – any illness or injury that occurs before arrival in the U.S., or that is related to an injury or illness that occurred before arrival here If the dates of your visit might change, check the company’s policy for renewals or extensions of insurance before you buy.	Offers wellness care as well as emergency treatment Optional dental or vision riders in some cases Fewer “excluded” pre-existing conditions
Gateway USA Gateway offers several temporary insurance plans, including “Gateway USA,” which is temporary medical insurance for a minimum of 15 days to a maximum of 36 months.  This is primarily emergency care for illness or injury – NOT wellness care. Dental and vision coverage is not included.  “Pre-existing conditions” are excluded – see “Highlights” under “Exclusions”. Insurance is underwritten by IMG / Sirius, which is rated A by A.M. Best.	HCC Medical Insurance Services Offers “CitizenSecure” worldwide medical insurance that includes coverage in the U.S.  Requires use of “network” medical service providers. An optional Dental rider is available. View the terms of coverage. Rated A- by A.M. Best. Not truly “full” coverage, but comes much close than the temporary plans. Cost is comparable to that paid by Fermilab employees – $300+ per month for a married couple with 1 child.
The New York International Group, Inc. NYIG offers several temporary insurance plans, including “Patriot America” which is temporary U.S. medical insurance for a minimum of 10 days up to a maximum of 12 months.  This is primarily emergency care for illness or injury – NOT wellness care.  Dental and vision coverage is not included.  “Pre-existing conditions” are excluded – see “Exclusions”. Insurance is underwritten by IMG / Sirius, which is rated A by A.M. Best.	Seven Corners Inc. Seven Corners offers an “Inbound Guest” insurance plan that is temporary medical insurance coverage for a minimum of 5 days to a maximum of 6 months. Dental and vision coverage is not included.  “Pre-existing conditions” are excluded – see page 6, Definitions, the Inbound Guest Program Summary. Insurance is underwritten by Lloyd’s, which is rated A by A.M. Best.

List of insurance companies that do not satisfy J-1 legal requirements

Ingosstrakh Insurance Company – rating does not satisfy J-1 legal requirements.