Students Studying in The United States Health

This health care section presents information for Northeastern students and scholars at the Boston campus. Students in Seattle should refer to the Health Resources section of the Seattle campus website. Students in Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area should refer to the Health Resources section of the Silicon Valley campus website.

To assure students in Massachusetts have access to health care and are protected against the potentially significant financial impact of an unexpected illness or accident, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts mandates all students participating in at least 75% of a full-time course load in a degree-seeking program must participate in their school’s student health plan or in a health benefit program with comparable coverage that meets Qualifying Student Health Insurance Program standards.

In accordance with Massachusetts regulations, you will automatically be enrolled in Northeastern University’s health benefits program, NUSHP, each academic year. The cost of coverage will be included in your bill. You have the option to waive this coverage, but only if you provide proof that you are covered by a plan with comparable health benefits that also meets Massachusetts’s regulations.

The NUSHP healthcare program offers comprehensive benefits to students wherever they travel, work, or study. The NUSHP web pages explain the process for using the health care center and for emergency needs. Students with other health programs will receive a guide to services from those programs.

Students studying in the U.S. may not waive insurance based on coverage through insurance carriers owned and operated outside the U.S. nor by coverage through foreign National Health Service programs. Students sponsored by foreign embassies, agencies, and organizations are not excluded from the requirement for U.S.-based health insurance.

Massachusetts law requires all University students to provide documentation of vaccination against Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Meningitis, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis and Varicella. Please see the University Health and Counseling Services (UHCS) page for details on how to return the report and the deadlines.

U.S. government regulations [22 CFR § 62.14] require all J-1 exchange visitors and J-2 dependents to obtain health insurance that meets the following requirements:

• Medical benefits of at least $100,000 per accident or illness
• Payment for repatriation (preparation and transportation of remains to home country) in case of death in the amount of $25,000
• Payment for medical evacuation (transportation to home country on advice of attending physician) in the amount of $50,000
• A deductible amount not to exceed $500 per accident or illness
• Coverage of pre-existing conditions after a reasonable waiting period
• Payment by the insurance company of at least 75% of the costs of medical care (the patient must not be required to pay more than 25% of medical care costs)
• Continuous coverage for the duration of the program

To comply with these regulations, health insurance policies must be underwritten by corporations having one of the following:

• A.M. Best rating of A- or above
• McGraw Hill Financial/Standard & Poor’s Claims- paying Ability rating of ‘A- or above
• Weiss Research, Inc. rating of ‘‘B+’’ or above
• Fitch Ratings, Inc. rating of ‘‘A-’’ or above
• Moody’s Investor Services rating of ‘‘A3’’ or above.
• Note: Insurance backed by the full faith and credit of the exchange visitor‘s (J-1 scholar’s) government meets this requirement. 

If you purchased health insurance in your home country or have insurance from your home institution or home government, please ensure that it covers all of the J-1 requirements listed above and covers you and any J-2 dependents during your entire period of time in the U.S.

The Department of State requires the Office of Global Services (OGS) to confirm that all J-1 Scholars have health insurance that complies with the federal regulations. OGS reserves the right to request proof of health insurance at any time during the J-1 student’s program.