Health Insurance
As a J-1 student sponsored by Emory University, you are subject to insurance requirements for all Emory students, which exceed those stipulated in federal regulations. Full-time enrolled J-1 students sponsored by exchange visitor programs other than Emory University must follow the insurance requirements of that sponsor as well as Emory University’s requirements.
Quality medical care in the United States is very expensive. Without medical insurance, the cost of treatment for an illness or an injury resulting from an accident can be devastating. Indeed, receiving treatment is difficult if you do not have health insurance. Medical insurance is mandatory for ALL students at Emory University. Students must either purchase the Emory University Student Health Insurance Plan (offered by Aetna Student Health) or provide documentation of enrollment in a comparable United States-domiciled health insurance plan (i.e. a plan through a US company).
Submitting your compliance form: You will submit your compliance information via the online waiver form in OPUS. You will see a link to the form in your "To Do" list in OPUS when the form is available. You will be able to enter your information and your compliance will be verified at that time. Please note that the School of Medicine (including Allied Health) has a mandatory policy that international students must purchase the Emory sponsored plan and cannot opt out by having a comparable plan.
New students who have not waived out of the Emory plan by the deadline date will be automatically enrolled in the Emory plan. The charge will be placed on your student account and you will be billed by the bursar's office.
Please see Health Insurance Frequently Asked Questions Web for answers to many of your questions.
Did you know? The Emory plan meets, and in most cases exceeds, the required coverage minimums. In addition, the Emory plan has no pre-existing limitations or exclusions.
For more information about the plan, visit the Aetna website, click on Students, choose Find Your School and enter Emory University. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader Web to view the brochure. Please visit the Student Health Services website for more details regarding the student health insurance requirements.
A list of alternate insurance plans is available here.
In order for a health plan to meet the mandatory health insurance requirement, the plan must have at a minimum:
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Coverage that allows the insured student to receive outpatient, emergency, specialist and inpatient care, diagnostic testing and procedures, and mental health inpatient and outpatient care, including alcohol and substance abuse treatment, in Atlanta, GA.
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A deductible not greater than $2,500 per policy year. If the annual deductible exceeds $2,500, the insured student must have an approved Healthcare Savings Account (HSA) that will allow the student to seek needed medical and mental health care when recommended by a healthcare provider and will cover all deductible expenses over $2,500. However, international students on a J-1 visa must still meet the $500 deductible in order to satisfy US Department of State regulations.)
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Underwritten by an insurance company domiciled in the United States.
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For international students, insurance must provide evacuation/repatriation coverage.
US Department of State regulations state that all J-1 exchange visitors and their J-2 dependents must have adequate health coverage in the United States as of September 1, 1994, and also specify minimum coverage. If you are a J-1 Student, the plan must also meet one or more of the following criteria:
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A deductible not greater than $500/policy year
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Part of a group benefits program offered to enrolled students by a designated sponsor or
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A health maintenance organization (HMO) that is federally qualified as determined by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) of the US Department of Health and Human Services or
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A Competitive Medical Plan (CMP) as determined by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) of the US Department of Health and Human Services or
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Underwritten by an insurance company having an AM Best rating of "A-" or above. An Insurance Solvency International, LTD. (ISI) rating of "A-" or above, a Standard & Poor's Claims-paying Ability rating of "A-" or above, or a Weiss Research, Inc Rating of B+ or above.