Health Insurance Requirements for Visiting Faculty and Scholars
The U.S Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs which administers the Exchange Visitor (J-1) Program requires that all J-1 Exchange Visitor participants be enrolled in a health insurance program that provides medical evacuation and repatriation benefits in addition to major medical. Please note that it is also mandatory for all J-2 dependents to be insured for full medical coverage as well as medical evacuation and repatriation.
If you have been offered a faculty or research position at Binghamton that is equivalent to 50% or higher of a full-time position, you are eligible to enroll in the health insurance plan provided by New York State or the Research Foundation of SUNY as part of your salary and benefits. However, since the plan does not include provisions for medical evacuation and repatriation, you are required to purchase a policy from the Office of International Student and Scholar Services to provide this coverage.
If health insurance is not being provided by New York State nor the Research Foundation of SUNY as part of your scholar or faculty appointment, then you are required to purchase the SUNY International Student Health and Accident policy. Rates for health insurance vary according to your term of appointment. You may purchase health insurance by the month, in monthly multiples, or per semester.
Questions regarding insurance should be sent to the Special Programs Coordinator, in the Office of International Student and Scholar Services isss@binghamton.edu.