Global Community

Dear Colleagues,

We are currently planning to have a visiting scientist for the summer from one of our major collaborators from Taiwan. This candidate will be coming with their own funding (Awesome sauce!). The question has now come up as to what to do regarding medical insurance for this individual. It is my understanding that during the J1 visa application, the insurance question is addressed and covered during this process. I've polled several and no one is aware of any circumstance where a non-compensated appointee received medical stipends.  Can any one give me a scenario where this issue came up and its resolution? I would gladly accept feedback from the community. Thanks in advance for responding.

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Derick Jones
Region VI, Chair and Collaborate FRA Community Chair
Program Manager, Institute for Translational Genomics and Population Sciences
Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute
Torrance, CA
310-974-9328
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Derrick,

If he is coming on his own funding, shouldn't he purchase medical insurance for his stay? do you have insurance for your international students that he could purchase with his own awesome sauce funding? have you checked with your international students/visitors department to see what they advise?

Carolyn

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Carolyn Elliott-Farino
Executive Director, Office of Research
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw, GA
770-423-6381

Hi Derick,

At UMB, self-funded visitors are advised that they (the visitor) must purchase health insurance coverage. Our office of international services provides information a few companies that provide policies specifically designed for those on J-1 programs.

We do have J-1 scholars that go on UMB payroll and who then get the same benefits as other students, postdocs or faculty at UMB, including health insurance coverage. However, uncompensated visiting scholars do not get health insurance or other benefits and must purchase it on their own.

Janet

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Janet Simons
Director, Research Policy
University of Maryland Baltimore
Baltimore, MD