Memo on Health Insurance for Incoming Scholars
July 6, 2009
We are looking forward to seeing you soon. As the time of your arrival is nearing, I want to make sure that your transition to life in the US will be smooth. For this reason, I want to stress the importance of you planning for the health insurance of your family if you are bringing a spouse and or children.
Health insurance in the US is extremely expensive. I suggest that you try to find some type of international health insurance in your country that meets the requirements of the Harvard International Office. The requirements are listed under section (f) on the second page of your DS2019. They basically state that you must have at least $50,000 worth of medical insurance per person. No medical procedure or medical emergency should have a deductible of more than $500.00. You should also have at least $7,000 in life insurance.
If you cannot get international insurance in your country that covers these necessities, the Harvard International Office can suggest some American health insurance companies. You can check out these insurance companies through their website, www.hio.harvard.edu.
Please consider your options and the expense before you decide to bring your families. If you need any more information, please let me know.
Sincerely,
Elaine Witham
Activities Coordinator
Harvard-Yenching Institute
witham@fas.harvard.edu
