Health Insurance Information

Federal law mandates that all J-1 scholars and their dependents are covered by health insurance during their stay in the United States.  They may purchase a policy in their home country if it meets the following conditions:

• Medical Benefits of at least $100,000 per accident or illness
• Repatriation of Remains in the amount of $25,000
• Expenses associated with the medical evacuation of the exchange visitor to his or her home country in the amount of $50,000
• A deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness
• A policy underwritten by an insurance carrier with:
  • an A.M. Best rating of ‘‘A-’’ or above;
  • a McGraw Hill Financial/Standard & Poor’s Claims paying Ability rating of ‘‘A-’’ or above;
  • a Weiss Research, Inc. rating of ‘‘B+’’ or above;
  • a Fitch Ratings, Inc. rating of ‘‘A-’’ or above;
  • a Moody’s Investor Services rating of ‘‘A3’’ or above;
  • A copy of the policy (in English) must be submitted to the Padnos International Center upon arrival.

If a scholar does not have proof of health insurance when they arrive, they will be enrolled in and charged for health insurance by the Padnos International Center.

Grand Valley State University has a campus health center located on the Allendale Campus: www.gvsu.edu/campushealth

Vaccinations

GVSU strongly supports the use of vaccines to protect the health of our university community.  Immunizations offer protection from vaccine-preventable diseases and outbreaks. Therefore, it is recommended that students, faculty and staff be vaccinated with routine immunizations as recommended by the CDC and/or individual health care providers.  While not all individuals may choose to be vaccinated, the university acknowledges the importance of the collection of vaccine status for quick response to outbreaks of communicable diseases, which can cause great disruption, negative impact on community well-being, and additional burdens for students, faculty, staff, and their families.

Medical Attention

Grand Valley offers medical services through the MetroHealth Center. Visiting scholars needing urgent medical attention should visit one of the area hospitals, which include Spectrum Health, Mary Free Bed, Metro Health, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Butterworth Hospital and Saint Mary’s Health Center.