Insurance for Scholars
All international employees at Indiana University Indianapolis, both paid and unpaid, in J-1 and H-1B status are expected to have health insurance.
Learn more about the health insurance program and benefits offered by IU Indianapolis for international scholars.
Employee Benefits (for scholars with full-time employment)
All H-1B employees and paid J-1 employees at IU Indianapolis have health insurance available through their employee benefit package. Please see eligibility guidelines for further information.
Within the first three weeks of hire, employees with employee benefits will receive employee benefits information from Human Resources.
Employees must enroll all accompanying dependents in the employee insurance program within 30 days of the start of employment.
If your dependents do not initially accompany you to the U.S., you can enroll them when they arrive; however, you must do so within 30 days of their arrival. Arrival from abroad is considered a Life Event Change and allows you to add your dependents to your plan. Contact Human Resources through their website for additional information. Other IRS-defined Life Event Changes are: marriage, divorce, birth of a child, or loss of coverage under the spouse's health plan. Changes to your insurance plan must be made within 30 days of the date of the Life Event Change.
Unless you have a Life Event Change, all employees are permitted to change insurance plans and add/remove dependents only once per year during the "Open Enrollment" period. This deadline occurs in November but policy changes go into effect the following January. Please note that this is the only period in which you can make adjustments to your insurance program once you are enrolled.
You should receive information about this from University Human Resources Administration. Further information on the employee benefits plans is available through the IU Indianapolis Human Resources Office.
Required Supplemental Health Insurance for J-1 Employees with IU Employee Benefits Health Insurance
All J-1 scholars are required by the U.S. Department of State to have medical evacuation/repatriation benefits, which is not included in the IU employee health insurance program.
If you are in J-1 status and receive employee benefits, you will need to enroll in the Academic Emergency Services (AES) in order to comply with the medical evacuation/repatriation benefits requirement for J-1 exchange visitors. You may also insure your legal spouse/registered domestic partner and unmarried dependent children (under age 19, or under age 25 if full-time students).
You are able to access the Academic Emergency Services online enrollment form following these steps:
- Go to the IU University Health Plans (UHP) website
- On the left-hand side menu scroll down to Worldwide Travel Assistance
- Click on the link and select Academic Emergency Services Enrollment Link from the pop-up menu.
Please note that this coverage is a required, separate supplement to IU employee benefits health insurance. It will cost you about $100/year.
International Student/Scholar Health Insurance Program (for visiting scholars)
If you are a visiting international scholar without health insurance, IU Indianapolis offers a health insurance plan designed for you and your dependents called the IU International Plan.
The IU International Plan for the 2024-25 academic year is administered by Anthem. Scholars who need to enroll in the 2024-25 IU International Plan are able to access the online enrollment forms on the Anthem Visiting Scholar Enrollment website. Please select the option for Visiting Scholar.
The enrollment year begins August 01 and ends the following year July 31. Therefore, regardless of length of stay, a visiting scholar can initially enroll only through the end of the current academic year (July 31). New enrollment forms become available each year in July. Daily rates for coverage are listed on the enrollment form, so payment can be pro-rated to exactly match the length of your stay.
Enrollment
Scholars can enroll directly with the insurance provider online.
You are eligible for the health insurance benefits even if you do not have the actual insurance card, as soon as your enrollment form is received by the insurance provider. If you need to seek medical assistance once enrolled, but before you can access your insurance card on the Sydney app, contact the insurance provider Anthem to confirm that you have been enrolled.
Dependents
If your dependents arrive later than you in the U.S., you can enroll them in IU International Plan within 30 days of their arrival. Please contact Office of International Affairs for assistance to enroll your dependents.
Seeking Medical Care
Your international scholar insurance plan includes a $500 USD deductible. This means that the first $500 USD of your medical care each year (in addition to your premium payment) is paid by you. After your deductible has been met, your insurance plan will pay all covered medical costs.
Please read the brochure carefully to understand the services that the plan covers. Remember, no insurance plan covers 100% of all medical costs. In addition to the deductible, the plan requires that you pay a $15 USD copay for each doctor's office visit.
The plan waives the $500 USD deductible and $15 USD copay for treatment you obtain at Campus Health, located on the first floor of Lockefield Village, 980 Indiana Ave., Indianapolis, IN, 46202.
Campus Health provides basic non-emergency medical services; you may schedule an appointment by calling 274-8214.
Services received at Campus Health will be paid upfront by the patient at the time of treatment. However, you may then submit your bill to your insurance provider for reimbursement.
If you need to seek medical treatment outside of Campus Health, it is recommended that you seek a doctor within your insurance network.
The insurance program uses a "Preferred Providers Network." When you visit a physician that is part of the network, better rates for medical services have been negotiated by your health insurance provider. If you use a physician or hospital outside of the network, Anthem will cover 40% for eligible out-of-network provider costs.
The IU International Plan insurance network is extensive and includes all hospitals and clinics within the IU Medical Center and Clarian Hospital networks, including University Hospital, Riley Hospital for Children; Eskenazi Hospital, Methodist Hospital of Indiana, and Methodist Medical Plazas located in various parts of the city. In addition, it includes the Community Hospitals.
You can verify whether a physician is a preferred provider by accessing your IU International Plan resources.
Further Information and Help
Contacts for insurance related questions
IU Human Resources Student and Scholar Insurance Specialist: Insurance plan information
Telephone: 812-856-4650
Email: studenhc@iu.eduOffice of International Affairs: Enrollment and waivers
Telephone: 317-274-7000
Email: ischolar@iu.eduUniversity Health Plans
Telephone: 800-437-6448
Web: www.universityhealthplans.com/intro/Indiana.html
Email: info@univhealthplans.comRequesting a Waiver
If you already have health insurance coverage at the time or your arrival at IU Indianapolis, you may apply for a waiver from the mandatory plan. Not all insurance plans will qualify you for a waiver.
The minimum coverage requirements (in USD) for waiver approval are as follows:-
$100,000 coverage for each sickness
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$100,000 coverage for each injury
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$50,000 medical evacuation to home country
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$25,000 repatriation of remains to home country
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Deductible (or excess fee) not more than $500 per sickness or injury (per person)
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Maternity Benefits preferred (female scholars only)
To qualify for a waiver, scholars must complete International Health Insurance Waiver Request Form and submit it to the Office of International Affairs along with a copy of the health insurance policy description, and proof of enrollment, (health insurance member card).
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