Visiting Scholar Health Insurance

Health insurance is mandatory for all J-1 visiting scholar and their J-2 dependents for the entire time inside the United States.

The University of Kansas offers health insurance to J-1 visiting scholars. The health insurance company that administers the plan is called United Healthcare. 

As of August 1, 2020 all new incoming J-1 Visiting Scholars are required to use the United Healthcare plan. If you wish to waive out of the United Healthcare plan, please review the Kansas Board of Regents insurance requirements below.

New J-1 employees that are eligible for the State Employee Health Plan should use the State Employee Health Plan. One of the benefits of this plan is that you can enroll monthly instead of annually, and you can purchase additional insurance such as dental and vision coverage. If you wish to add dental or vision you will submit a separate enrollment form.

To enroll in United Healthcare insurance, please complete this online enrollment form. Once you complete and submit the enrollment form your eligibility will be verified by International Support Services. Within 3-5 business days, you will receive a payment link and will be able to pay via credit card. For additional information about the insurance policy please read the United Healthcare brochure (pdf). Please note that it will use the word student, but J-1 visiting scholars are eligible for this insurance and need to use this insurance.

2024/2025 Insurance Requirements

If all the insurance requirements are not specified in your summary of benefits, additional documentation will be required.

1. Unlimited Maximum Benefit for covered medical expenses.
2. Coverage for essential benefits (with no dollar limits), as defined under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This includes:
   • pharmacy
   • mental health services
   • maternity benefits
   • preventive care, and coverage for pre-existing conditions
   • pediatric dental and vision coverage
3. A policy year deductible of $500 or less.
4. Maximum total out-of-pocket expenses cannot exceed $8,200 per member ($16,400 per family) with preferred providers. Deductibles, coinsurance, and copays all count toward the out-of-pocket maximum.)
5. A minimum of 75% coinsurance payable by the insurance plan to network providers.
6. Plan is not a Travel plan or for Emergency/urgent care only.  
7. At least $100,000 in coverage for repatriation and medical evacuation.
8. Coverage includes effective dates spanning the entire period for which the waiver is requested.
9. Plan document(s) in English, with currency amounts converted to U.S. dollars, and the insurance company contact phone # in the U.S.
10. Insurer has a base of operations in the US or has a US based claims payer.
11. Insurer is authorized to do business in Kansas and is providing coverage under a health insurance policy that has been filed and approved by the Kansas Department of Insurance.
12. Coverage is provided by an employer’s group plan which is compliant with items 1-11 or is backed by the full faith and credit of the student’s home government.