The US department of state requires that all visiting scholars, international students and exchange professor, must have a health insurance in accordance with standard guidelines while some schools have strict guidelines in J visa health insurance requirements.
Whatever you choose J visa health insurance, good plan is designed with hi coinsurance and low deductible. But it will be comparatively expensive if you rarely go to hospital or visit doctors.
Most visiting scholars believe that the United States insurance plan much more expensive than China, India and South Korea's, but in fact American insurance has a long history and a very strong competitive relationship, rather than other insurance products cheaper. Let's consider what J visa holders should prioritize in choosing health insurance.
If you accompany with under 10 year old child or used to visit doctor 2 or more every year, you may have to choose low deductible plan despite of comparatively high premium.
When you are visiting to US, you should check up whether Network provider(PPO) is systemized for direct-billing. Even though most of US insurance company operating in Asia do not provide direct-billing service via Network system.
In conclusion, J visa health insurance's cost is adequate? Direct-billing between hospital and insurance company is available?
The US department of state policy for J visas health insurance have the following requirements.
http://j1visa.state.gov/sponsors/how-to-administer-a-program/
Sponsors must require that all exchange visitors (as well as their accompanying spouses and dependents) have insurance in effect that covers them for sickness or accidents during the time of their exchange visitor program. The recent rule increases the minimum coverage to meet today's medical insurance needs. As of May 15, 2015, minimum coverage must provide 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 the exchange visitor's home country in the amount of $50,000; and deductibles cannot exceed $500 per accident or illness (Section 62.14(a)). Inadequate insurance coverage may be catastrophic for an individual exchange visitor. Thus, the Department increased the requirements.
Program participants and their dependents are required to have medical insurance coverage with the following minimum benefits [22 CFR 62.14].
Sponsors must require that all exchange visitors (as well as their accompanying spouses and dependents) have health insurance during the visit. To meet the salary requirements of the insurance company a.m. "A -", "AI" above has the level of payment capability, "A -" above standards and Poor's expense rating and Weiss Research, Inc grade B + above. Besides, the sponsor may ascertain that the participant's policy is backed by the full faith and credit of the government of their home country. For other options, see [22 CFR 62.14].