Unit Policy
Title
Campus Health: Policy on Health Insurance for International Students in J or F Immigration Status
RI-04
Introduction
Purpose
This policy establishes the requirement that international students with J or F immigration status carry health insurance as a condition of enrollment at UNC-Chapel Hill, in compliance with both University of North Carolina (UNC) System rules and United States (U.S.) Department of State regulations. It also specifies the minimum standards that any qualifying health insurance plan must meet.
Scope
This policy applies to international students at UNC-Chapel Hill who hold J or F immigration status, including J-1 Exchange Visitors and their J-2 dependents.
Policy
International students who have J or F immigration status are required by the UNC System to carry health insurance as a condition of enrollment at UNC-Chapel Hill. In addition, as part of the U.S. Department of State J Exchange-Visitor visa regulations, all J-1 Exchange Visitors are required by government regulations to carry health insurance for themselves and their J-2 dependents throughout the duration of their academic program.
Any J-1 exchange visitor who willfully fails to maintain the insurance coverage or makes a material misrepresentation to UNC-Chapel Hill concerning such coverage will be in violation of his/her immigration status and subject to termination as a J-1.
Any policy, plan, or contract secured to fill the health insurance requirements must, at a minimum, be:
- Underwritten by an insurance corporation having 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; or
- Backed by the full faith and credit of the government of an exchange visitor's home country; or
- Part of a health benefits program offered on a group basis to employees or enrolled students by a designated sponsor; or
- 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 (HCFA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Minimum Health Insurance Plan Requirements for J or F Immigration Status
- The health insurance plan must have a minimum medical benefit of at least $100,000 coverage for each specific illness or injury.
- The plan must have a deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness.
- The plan must provide at least $25,000 in benefits for repatriation of remains to the home country in case of death.
- The plan must pay up to $50,000 for medical evacuation to the home country.
- The plan must provide coverage of activities inherent to the Exchange Visitor's program.
Contact Information
Primary Contact
Name: Melody Gibson, Health Information Manager
Telephone: 919-966-6557
Email: mgibson@email.unc.edu
Publication Details
Issuing Officer: Ken Pittman, Executive Director of Campus Health
Effective Date: February 2011
Last Review Date: March 2024
Next Review Date: March 2027