UH Health Insurance Plan for J-1 Exchange Visitors
The Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA) is the health insurance provider for the UH Student Health Insurance Plan. Information about the medical insurance benefits, premium rates, and the application form are available on the HMSA student insurance plan website. You can also ask your UH sponsoring unit for brochures on this plan.
If you have any questions about the HMSA student insurance plan, please contact the UH Student Health Insurance Coordinator, Stephanie Yoda, at syoda@hawaii.edu, phone (808) 956-5361, fax (808) 956-6371.
Eligibility & enrollment information
International visiting colleagues and post-doctoral fellows at UH do not meet HMSA’s definition of “student,” but the following policies and procedures have been established to allow non-student, non-salaried J-1 exchange visitors and their J-2 dependents to obtain health insurance coverage under the UH Student Health Insurance Plan:
- Only non-student J-1s who are affiliated with UH on a non-salaried basis, such as visiting scholars and postdoctoral fellows, will be eligible to enroll. A J-2 dependent of a non-student, non-salaried J-1s may enroll with the J-1.
- You and your J-2s must enroll within 15 days of arrival at UH. If you do not enroll within 15 days of arrival, you must wait until the annual open enrollment period (July/August).
- This plan is the only UH-offered health plan option for non-salaried, non-student J-1s.
- You must be affiliated with UH for at least 3 months.
- You must pay the full premium for the semester in which you enroll, even if you are enrolling after the semester starts or completing your J-1 program before the semester ends. At the end of the semester or after notifying HMSA of your termination date, HMSA will mail you a refund check for the portion you overpaid.
If you are not eligible to enroll in the UH Student Health Insurance Plan, see Alternative Health Insurance Plans for J-1 Exchange Visitors for information on purchasing other health plans.
How to apply
You must complete these procedures at least 2 weeks prior to the start date of coverage:
- Complete a Request for Non-Student Eligibility Form.
- Attach copies (not originals) of the DS-2019s for yourself and your J-2 dependents or a letter from your UH sponsoring unit confirming your participation in a UH J-1 program for at least 3 months.
- Mail the request form and the DS-2019 copies to the Student Health Coordinator, 2600 Campus Road, Room 313D, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA or fax it to (808) 956-6371.
- The Student Health Coordinator will issue you a Notice of Decision.
- If the Notice of Decision says you are eligible, complete the HMSA Application Form in the plan brochure or from the HMSA website. IMPORTANT:
- You must select an option that includes repatriation coverage.
- You must select "Non-Student" on the application form.
- Do not enroll online.
- You must select an option that includes repatriation coverage.
- Make copies of the Notice of Decision and the completed application forms and your payment check or money order. Keep the copy for your personal records as evidence of required medical insurance coverage. FSIS may ask you to provide proof of compliance with the minimum health insurance requirements.
- Mail the completed application form with a copy of the Notice of Decision and payment (check or money order payable to HMSA) to:
HMSA
Attn: UH Student Plan/Membership & Enrollment
P. O. Box 860
Honolulu, HI 96808-0860
Submit evidence of health insurance to FSIS
After you purchase the insurance, you must submit a signed Health Insurance Requirements Compliance Form to FSIS. You should check off the "UH Student Health Insurance Plan" box in Section A on page 2 of this form. We will confirm your enrollment directly with the UH Student Health Insurance Coordinator.
Each time you renew/extend your health insurance plan, you must submit evidence of the new period of insurance coverage to FSIS.
