Mandatory UMN Health Insurance
Health care in the U.S. is complicated and very expensive. One illness or injury can financially devastate you and your family. Health insurance is designed to prevent depletion of your savings if an accident or illness occurs. To ensure adequate insurance coverage, you and your J-2 dependents are required by the University of Minnesota (UMN) to purchase the UMN sponsored Student Health Benefit Plan (SHBP). The SHBP not only provides you with excellent coverage but also fulfills the J-1 insurance requirement. Read the following for details about J-1 insurance requirement, the SHBP, and exceptions to the SHBP insurance requirement.
J-1 Insurance Requirement: J-1 scholars and their J-2 dependents must carry health insurance to meet the requirements of their visa status under regulations of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). Health insurance must be maintained from the day you arrive in the U.S. through the entire duration of your J-1 program. If you willfully fail to carry health insurance for yourself or your dependents after your program effective date, your J-1 visa sponsor must end your J-1 program and report this to the U.S. Department of State.
Student Health Insurance Benefit Plan (SHBP): You and your J-2 dependents must enroll for the University of Minnesota sponsored Student Health Benefit Plan (SHBP), unless one of the three exceptions applies (See “Exceptions” below). For more information on SHBP, go to the Boynton Health Service’s website.
You can enroll for the SHBP once you arrive on campus. Your coverage begins on the day you arrive in the U.S. For questions related to health insurance that are not addressed on Boynton Health Service’s website above, please contact the Boynton insurance office at 612-624-0627.
Exceptions to SHBP Insurance Requirement: The following two groups of J-1s
are not required to enroll in the SHBP:
- J-1s who receive health insurance through their University of Minnesota employment (see below) are not required to enroll in SHBP. They must also buy insurance for their J-2 dependents through the Employee Benefits plan.
- J-1s whose J-1 programs will last 31 days or less are eligible to purchase SHBP insurance for themselves and their J-2 dependents, but they are not required to purchase it. If they do not purchase the SHBP, they must purchase other health insurance for themselves and their J-2 dependents that meet the minimum coverage required by the law.
J-1 Scholars who are hosted by coordinate campus departments (Duluth, Crookston, or Morris) are also required to purchase SHBP insurance for themselves and their J-2 dependents.
University Employee Benefits Health Insurance: If you will be employed by the University of Minnesota, and you do not know whether you will receive health insurance as part of your employee benefits plan, please contact your hosting department. Generally, if you receive a salary from the University for three months or more at 75% time employment (30 hours per week) or more, you and your dependents are eligible for health insurance through the Employee Benefits Department. If you receive a salary from the University for less than three months or at 50-74% time employment (20-29 hours per week), generally, you may purchase at your own expense the University health insurance. But again, contact your hosting department if you have questions.
Employee Benefits insurance meets the requirements of the J-1 regulations. If you know that you will have health insurance through your University employment, you can find further information by calling Employee Benefits at 612-624-9090 or on their website.
30-Day Delay in Employee Insurance Coverage: The University Employee health insurance plan will not take effect until one month after you are placed on the University payroll.You must purchase another plan that provides the required coverage from your date of arrival in the U.S. until your Employee insurance begins.The SHBP insurance can be purchased for this period. See the SHBP section above for more information.
U.S. Department of State Insurance Regulations (CFR 22 Sec. 62.14 Insurance) |
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