Health Insurance Choices

If you are receiving a salary from MIT, you may be eligible to enroll in an employee health plan. Most of the benefit programs of MIT are available to faculty and staff members, paid Postdoctoral Associates, or paid visitors, who are appointed for at least three months, for at least 50% time, and are paid by MIT. Eligibility for MIT benefits is described at the Human Resources Employee Benefits website. 

If you are not sure if you are eligible for MIT benefits, speak to the Director, Administration and Finance (DAF) or Human Resources Administrator in your department, laboratory, center, or institute; contact the Benefits Office (Building NE49-5000, tel. 617-253-6151, e-mail: benefits@mit.edu); or consult the Employee Benefits website.

Individuals with the following MIT titles are among those NOT eligible for MIT employee benefits: Postdoctoral Fellow*, Research Fellow, Research Affiliate, and unpaid "Visiting" appointments. (*Postdoctoral Fellows are, in some cases, eligible for either the MIT Health Plan or the MIT Student Health Insurance Plan (MIT SHIP). Contact the DAF or Human Resources Administrator in your department, laboratory, center, or institute for details.)

MIT currently offers a choice of two health plans to benefits-eligible employees: the MIT Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) PPO+ Plan, and the MIT High Deductible Health Plan.

When you enroll in one of the employee health plans, MIT will pay for some of the cost of the health plan you choose, and the balance is deducted from your paycheck. You can enroll in one of the available health plans within 31 days of your starting date, or within 31 days of receiving your official welcome letter, whichever is later. For more information about MIT benefits, including health insurance, complete the online New Employee Orientation.

The MIT Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) PPO+ Plan meets the health insurance coverage requirements set by the Department of State for J-1 exchange visitors.

Please Note: The MIT High Deductible Health Plan does NOT meet the J-1 health insurance requirements and you should not select this plan if you are a benefits-eligible J-1 visa holder.

If you are not receiving a salary from MIT, you are not eligible for the employee health plans. The MIT Student Health Insurance Plan (MIT SHIP) is available to certain MIT-affiliated individuals and their family members, including Postdoctoral Fellows, as well as students. For more information, go to the section called “Who Is Eligible to Enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan (MIT SHIP)?” at https://mit.myahpcare.com/enrollment and then review the information about “Other Eligible Individuals.” You may enroll in MIT SHIP within 30 days from the start date of your appointment. If you would like to enroll family members who are arriving later, you must enroll them within 30 days from their arrival date. If you are on a "visiting" appointment with a salary from MIT, please see Health Plans for Employees.

To enroll in MIT SHIP or for more information, visit https://mit.myahpcare.com/. MIT SHIP meets the Department of State's J-1 requirements.

Note: MIT SHIP always starts on the first day of the month. Upon enrollment, it must be purchased for the entire month, regardless of enrollment date, and cannot be prorated for part of a month.

Postdoctoral Fellows with appointments of at least three consecutive months are eligible for the MIT Dental and Vision Plans through MIT Benefits.

If your insurance is not from MIT, please make sure to check whether your plan meets the Department of State’s J-1 regulations. If your plan does not include coverage for repatriation of remains and medical evacuation to your home country as required by the J-1 regulations, you may purchase them separately. Please review the information for Health Insurance Options for Certain Visiting Appointments and Other Affiliates.

For visiting appointments, you may bring your own insurance from your home institution or employer, as long as it meets the J-1 requirements. If you are considering purchasing insurance here, or if you need supplemental coverage in order to meet the Department of State's J-1 regulations (such as medical evacuation and repatriation coverage), please review the information below.

For visitors, who are appointed for at least three months, for at least 50% time, and are paid by MIT, please review the information in the Health Plans for Employee section of this page.

If you are not eligible for any of the plans offered through MIT due to the terms of your appointment (for example, an unpaid visiting appointment) or the length of your visit, you may consult with private vendors, such as those listed below, which offer plans for international scholars and visitors that meet the Department of State's J-1 regulatory requirements. Carefully review the eligibility criteria for the insurance plans and select a plan appropriate for non-students (some plans are written specifically for enrolled students). Please read the terms of coverage and exclusions before purchasing an insurance policy to be sure it meets both the J-1 visa requirements and your personal needs.

Note that MIT is not affiliated with these companies nor do we endorse any one specific provider. This list is not an exhaustive list of all providers and it is recommended that you do your own research before selecting a provider to work with.

If you need to purchase supplemental insurance only (such as medical evacuation and repatriation coverage), some of the providers listed below may also offer this option. Please review the information on the provider’s website for details.