The J-1 visa regulations have specific medical insurance coverage requirements that we as sponsor must document for everyone on our program. All J-1 teachers and their J-2 dependents are required to be enrolled in a Cultural Vistas offered plan for the first year. Teachers will have the option to switch to their school provided insurance in their second year (you may be enrolled in both if you choose). We do not accept third party insurance plans that you have found independently.
Cultural Vistas works with Envisage Global to provide visa approved coverage to J-1 participants for illness and accidents. Insurance coverage is provided under the United Healthcare Network through IMG. We offer three tiers of coverage: Standard Lite, Enhanced, and Family Lite. J-1 teachers may enroll in any of the three tiers, but J-2 dependents may only enroll in either the Standard Lite or Family Lite plan. You and your dependents do not have to be on the same plan. You may find more information about the three tiers of coverage, how they differ in benefits, and their costs here:
Once you are approved for sponsorship, you will receive an e-mail directly from Envisage Global confirming your enrollment and containing your insurance ID cards. We understand that navigating the U.S. healthcare system can be difficult and confusing. In the healthcare zone you can also find various educational videos that provide an overview of the US healthcare system and where to locate doctors and medical facilities. If you choose to remain on CV insurance for another year or more, you will be billed on an annual basis for the entire upcoming school year.
Your Insurance Portal: Healthcare Zone
You will have access to the Healthcare Zone, your central hub for managing insurance and care in the U.S.
For additional questions and tips on using your Cultural Vistas insurance, please visit the Health + Safety section of our main hub.
Option 2: Host School Insurance (Year 2 and Beyond)
We highly recommend you enroll in school insurance at some point for more comprehensive coverage. Towards the end of your first year as a teacher, you will have the option to switch to your host school insurance or remain on your CV plan. To make this change, teachers must submit an insurance certification form which is signed by you and the HR representative or insurance administrator at your school. The representative must confirm and sign off that the school provided insurance plan meets all the federal mandated requirements. The teacher must then acknowledge the participant agreement by signing and dating the second page of the form and sending the completed certification form back to us. All teachers on their host school insurance must still enroll in the Medical Evacuation and Repatriation policy through Cultural Vistas (MER). The cost is $84 per year per person. We will periodically check to see if you are still covered by your host school insurance plan and that it continues to meet requirements.
Adding J-2 Dependents
If you apply for dependents to join you later in the program and you are already enrolled in your school plan at that time, your dependents will purchase minimum 2 months* of coverage from CV in order to bridge the gap until they can enroll in your school plan and we can collect the certification form from the school. Otherwise, J-2 dependents will enroll in Family or Standard Lite with CV. *This depends on what time of year staff can add dependents to their coverage as most employers only allow enrolment at certain times of year.
*Dependents with work authorization cannot substitute their employer’s insurance as it will lapse if they lose their position and CV is not able to monitor this.
