As an Exchange Visitor in the United States, under a rule effective September 1, 1994, you must carry health insurance for yourself and your J-2 dependents for the full duration of your J program. Government regulations stipulate that if, after that date, you willfully fail to carry health insurance for yourself and your dependents, your J-1 sponsor (University of Delaware) must terminate your program, and report the termination to the Department of State (DOS) in Washington.
DOS has established the following requirements for the type and amounts of coverage you must carry if you hold J-1 or J-2 status:
- Deductible must be $500 or less per accident or illness.
- The insurance company must pay at least 75% of covered medical expenses.
- If a particular activity is part of your Exchange Visitor program, your insurance must cover injuries resulting from your participation in that activity.
- The policy must provide "medical benefits of at least $50,000 for each accident or illness."
- If you should die in the U.S., the policy must provide at least $7,500 in benefits to send your remains to your home country for burial.
- If, because of a serious illness or injury, you must be sent home on the advice of a doctor, the policy must pay up to $10,000 for the expenses of your travel.
- The policy may establish a waiting period before it covers pre-existing conditions (health problems you had before you bought the insurance), as long as the waiting period is reasonable by current standards in the insurance industry.
- The policy must be backed by the full faith and credit of your home country government or the company providing the insurance must meet minimum rating requirements established by DOS (an A. M. Best rating of "A-" or above, an Insurance Solvency International, Ltd. (ISI) rating of "A-i" or above, a Standard & Poor's Claims-paying Ability rating of "A-" or above, or a Weiss Research, Inc. rating of B+ or above).