Maintaining lawful nonimmigrant status is your responsibility. The International Offices are available to assist you in understanding your responsibilities if you have any questions.
All J-1 exchange visitors and J-2 dependents are required to have insurance coverage that meets the U.S. Department of State (DOS) J regulations for the duration of their program. The required coverage includes both:
- Health insurance
- Medical Evacuation and Repatriation (MER) insurance
Failure to maintain both types of required insurance can have severe consequences, including termination of your J program, if the failure is willful.
J-1 and J-2 exchange visitors who are residents for tax purposes may be subject to the requirements of the Affordable Care Act. 22 CFR 62.14(a)
In order to understand what type of insurance you can obtain through Caltech/JPL, you must first determine whether or not you are eligible for Caltech/JPL benefits and then you must determine whether Caltech/JPL will provide a subsidy to cover the cost of health insurance coverage. If you are ineligible for coverage, you will need to obtain independent health coverage that meets the DOS J regulations for the duration of your program.
Positions that are eligible for Caltech/JPL health insurance coverage:
- Caltech Faculty, Staff, Postdocs, and Visitors
- Caltech undergraduate (BS) and graduate (MS and PhD) registered students, Visiting Special Students
- JPL Regular and TMS hires, JPL postdocs, and Caltech postdocs at JPL
Additional information on eligibility, can be found in the Summary Plan Description.
Positions that are ineligible for Caltech/JPL health insurance coverage:
Review the Independent Insurance section below.
- Caltech Visiting Student Researchers, and Student-Faculty Program participants (SURF and VURP)
- JPL Volunteers, Hubble and Visiting Postdocs, Visiting Researchers, Distinguished Visiting Scientists, and Education Office program participants (JVSRP, JPLGF, and JPLYIP)
- Employees in eligible Caltech/JPL positions, who are regularly scheduled to work less than 20 hours per week
Caltech/JPL health insurance plans that comply with the J regulations:
- Student health plan
- Anthem HMO plan
- Kaiser HMO plan
- Kaiser WA HMO plan in Washington
- Owens Valley PPO
- Anthem Blue Card
Caltech/JPL health insurance plans that do not comply with the J regulations:
Review the Independent Insurance section below.
All other Caltech/JPL health insurance plans do not comply with the J regulations. If you work in an area where the Caltech/JPL health insurance plans do not comply with the J insurance regulations, you need to obtain independent insurance coverage.
Cost of Caltech/JPL health insurance:
The cost will vary, depending on the plan you select and depending on whether the full cost will be subsidized by Caltech/JPL. Preliminary rate information is available on the International Offices website. Full information will be available once you have access to the enrollment website.
MER coverage is provided for free to all J-1 students, scholars, and J-2 dependents who are participants in the Caltech/JPL exchange visitor program (P-1-00394), by the Institute. MER coverage is provided at no cost, as a benefit of your Caltech/JPL affiliation. Enrollment in a Caltech/JPL health insurance plan is not required in order to be covered by the Caltech/JPL MER plan. Coverage commences on your date of hire, or upon student registration. You can access more information about the coverage provided by International SOS. The Caltech student health plan includes MER coverage.
Enrollment in a Caltech/JPL health insurance plan:
- Caltech: You will need to have your access.caltech username and password in order to access the MyBenefits enrollment website. You will only have this information after you check in with ISS and Human Resources or the Faculty Records Office. Student Health Insurance Plan enrollment occurs during the summer, or upon registration.
- JPL: You will need to have your JPL username and password in order to complete your onboarding tasks and access your Benefit Change – New Hire Event in Workday. You will only have this information after you begin your appointment at JPL.
Deadlines to enroll in a Caltech/JPL health insurance plan:
In order for your Caltech/JPL health insurance to start on the dates described above, you must enroll in one of the Caltech/JPL health insurance plans within 31 days of your date of hire or you will be ineligible to enroll until the next annual enrollment period or experience a qualifying life event and report within 31 days. Additional information on qualifying life events can be found in the Summary Plan Description. Student Health Insurance Plan enrollment occurs by default, if you do not submit a timely waiver.
When Caltech/JPL health insurance will begin:
If you are eligible to participate in the Caltech/JPL health insurance plans as a non-student, and if you enroll in a Caltech/JPL health insurance plan, your health insurance coverage will begin on the first day of the month coincident with, or immediately following your date of hire.
- If you start working on February 1, your Caltech/JPL coverage begins February 1.
- If you start working on February 15, your Caltech/JPL coverage begins March 1.
Caltech Student Health Insurance Plan coverage will begin upon registration. For graduate students arriving in the Fall, the Caltech Student Health Insurance Plan coverage starts on September 1.
Open Enrollment:
Each year, in October or November, benefits-eligible Caltech/JPL individuals participate in Open Enrollment to select insurance coverage and benefits for the upcoming year, effective January 1. This is the time to select a Caltech/JPL health insurance plan that meets the J regulations. For benefits-eligible individuals, enrollment in the Caltech/JPL MER plan is automatic and does not require any selection.
Additional assistance:
- Caltech: Human Resources Benefits (626) 395-6443 or [email protected]
- JPL: AskHR at (818) 354-4447 or submit an AskHR Inquiry
You are required to have health and MER insurance coverage for yourself and your spouse and dependents throughout your J program. We recommend that you obtain health and MER insurance coverage from your date of departure from your home country until your Caltech/JPL health insurance plan coverage starts. Review the Enrollment Deadline and Coverage Start Date section above. We suggest confirming that your independent insurance includes coverage for COVID-19. You may purchase insurance from any company that offers health and MER insurance that meets the J insurance requirements. When you consider independent insurance plans, keep the following in mind:
- Each policy has limitations and exclusions — review them carefully.
- After you apply, there may be a delay before your coverage becomes effective — apply as soon as possible.
- Most short-term insurance provides coverage for sickness and accidents but not for preventive care.
*This list is provided for your information and convenience. It does not constitute or imply an endorsement or recommendation by Caltech/JPL of any of these companies.
- International Student Insurance: 877-758-4391
- ISO Insurance: 800-244-1180
- iNext International Insurance: 855-578-6398
Validate Coverage:
Ask the independent insurance company to confirm that the plan you have selected meets the Coverage Requirements listed in the section below. The plan must meet the minimum coverage per individual and all of the other plan requirements in order to fulfill the DOS J regulations.
Ineligible for Caltech/JPL Plans:
You will need to obtain independent health insurance coverage for the entire duration of your J program. Free MER insurance coverage commences on your date or hire or upon student registration.
Eligible for Caltech/JPL Plans:
You will need to obtain independent health insurance coverage from the start of your J program until your Caltech/JPL health insurance plan coverage begins, if you start working on any day other than the first of the month or if you are a student on campus prior to registration. Free MER insurance coverage commences on your date of hire or upon student registration.
Minimum coverage per individual:
- Medical benefits of at least $100,000 per accident or illness;
- Repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000;
- Expenses associated with medical evacuation to home country in the amount of $50,000; and
- Deductibles not to exceed $500 per accident or illness.
Insurance Policies:
- May require a waiting period for pre-existing conditions that is reasonable as determined by current industry standards;
- May include provisions for co-insurance under the terms of which the exchange visitor may be required to pay up to 25% of the covered benefits per accident or illness; and
- Must not unreasonably exclude coverage for perils inherent to the activities of the exchange program in which the exchange visitor participates.
- Any policy, plan or contract secured to fill the above requirements, must be:
- Underwritten by an insurance corporation having an A.M. Best rating of " A-" or above; a McGraw Hill Financial/Standard & Poor' s Claims-paying Ability rating of " A-" or above; a Weiss Research, Inc. rating of " B+" or above; a Fitch Ratings, Inc. rating of "A-" or above; a Moody' s Investor Services rating of "A3" or above; or such other rating as the Department of State may from time to time specify; or
- Backed by the full faith and credit of the government of the 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 or eligible Competitive Medical Plan as determined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
J-1 student exchange visitors and J-2 dependents are required to maintain appropriate health and MER insurance coverage throughout their Academic Training.
J-2 dependents are required to have health and MER insurance coverage that meets the DOS J regulations for the duration of the J-1's exchange program.
You will need to provide documentation to establish your relationship with your J-1 dependents, such as a marriage certificate or birth certificate, in order to add them to a Caltech/JPL health insurance plan.