Temporary Health Insurance: Everything You Need to Know
Temporary health insurance is designed to fill short-term gaps in coverage and usually lasts for a year. If you are enrolling in a temporary health insurance plan, be prepared for premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, copay, and other out-of-pocket costs.
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Benjamin Carr
Former State Farm Insurance Agent
Benjamin Carr worked as a licensed insurance agent at State Farm and Tennant Special Risk. He sold various lines of coverage and informed his clients about their life, health, property/casualty insurance needs. Assessing risks and helping people find the best coverage to suit their needs is a passion of his. He appreciates that insurance was designed to protect people, particularly during times...
Former State Farm Insurance Agent
UPDATED: May 16, 2023
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Our life insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different life insurance companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about life insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything life insurance-related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by life insurance experts.
UPDATED: May 16, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right life insurance coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident life insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one life insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.
Our life insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different life insurance companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- Temporary health insurance is typically used to bridge a short-term gap and lasts for 1-3 years
- People who need this type of health insurance are usually recent college graduates, those changing careers, or those waiting to enroll in Medicare after retirement
- Temporary medical insurance plans are available year-round from companies like Everest and United Healthcare
A person can enroll in health insurance as an individual, within a group, and through their job. For people who are in-between jobs or dealing with a few different obstacles in life, temporary health insurance is available.
Individual or personal health insurance plans are those you enroll in by yourself, usually through the Health Insurance Marketplace program. Most people who enroll in these plans do so because their employer does not offer health insurance benefits.
Private insurance plans can be expensive, so it’s important to explore all of your options. Use our guide to find out how much private health insurance costs to compare rates and policies. Keep reading to learn more about what temporary health insurance is and which companies offer policies in your area.
Temporary Health Insurance Explained
Temporary healthcare plans are a kind of private health insurance that typically bridges a short-term gap in coverage — it is not designed as a long-term solution. This coverage can help you if you experience an accident or major illness during a period when you don’t have comprehensive health insurance.
These types of plans are available year-round, focusing on protecting against expensive unforeseen accidents or illnesses.
Typically, short-term coverage plans last for one year, but in some cases — if you re-apply — you can have temporary coverage for up to three years. Some states have created their own limits. These include bans, term limits of six months or less, and restrictions on opportunities to reapply for coverage.
Any medical conditions you have or develop during your short-term plan period could also be considered a pre-existing condition when you reapply for a new plan.
Who Needs Temporary Health Insurance
Those who need temporary health insurance are:
- Those waiting to be enrolled in a group plan by a new employer
- Recent college graduates
- Those transitioning from a spouse or parent’s health plan
- Those making a career change
- Those who are seasonally employed
- Those needing coverage outside of the open enrollment period
- Those waiting for enrollment in Medicare after retirement
You should not consider short-term health insurance if you have a lot of medical expenses or expect to need maternity care because you could end up paying much more out of pocket. If you qualify for subsidies to purchase a plan in the ACA Marketplace, that could be a more affordable option with better benefits for you than a temporary insurance plan.
What Temporary Health Insurance Covers
Although temporary health insurance does not cover preexisting conditions, it can provide coverage for certain services such as routine office visits, preventive care, mental health services, and prescription drugs.
However, U.S. law does not require short-term health insurance to cover the Affordable Care Act’s 10 essential benefits. Check your policy to confirm it includes:
- Prescription drugs
- Pediatric services
- Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
- Emergency services
- Hospitalization
- Mental health and addiction services
- Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care
- Ambulatory patient services
- Laboratory services
- Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices
Although some of these services may be covered, they are not required to be covered. Be aware that temporary health insurance does not cover maternity care or wellness visits. Other exclusions include:
- 43% do not cover mental health services
- 62% do not cover substance abuse
- 71% do not cover outpatient prescription drugs
Check with the plan’s benefits before you enroll.
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How to Get Temporary Health Insurance Coverage
If you are considering a short-term health insurance plan, start by researching first. Find out what each policy will and won’t cover, along with your out-of-pocket expenses for copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.
Use this table to compare short-term health insurance by company with coverage limits, deductibles, availability, and prescription coverage.
Company Name | Plans | Coverage Limit | Waiting Period | Deductible |
---|---|---|---|---|
Everest | 1 | $250,000 to $1.5 million | 1 day - 6 months | $1,000, $2,5$5,000, $7,500 or $10,000 |
Pivot Health | varies | $100,000 to $1 million | 5 days - 6 months | $1,000, $2,000, $2,500, $3,000, $5,000, $7,500 or $10,000 |
IHC Health Group | varies | Up to $2 million | Varies | $2,500, $5,000, or $10,000 |
United Healthcare | varies | $500,000 to $2 million | 6 - 12 months | $2,500, $5,000, $7,500, $10,000, or $15,000 |
If you find a company you like, determine whether or not there are caps on out-of-pocket expenses and total policy coverage. Check to see if in-network doctors and providers are available near you and ensure that coverage is available in your state.
Not all states offer short-term health insurance plans. They’re prohibited in Colorado, Connecticut, New Mexico, and Rhode Island. The following states maintain strict limits on short-term health insurance policies:
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Maine
- Maryland
- Vermont
- Washington
However, residents of California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York have access to temporary health insurance that covers pre-existing conditions.
What You Need to Know About Temporary Health Insurance
Temporary medical insurance is a type of health insurance plan offering short-term coverage for those in-between policies. You might need temporary insurance if you just started a new job or are waiting to be added to a spouse’s policy.
Availability and restrictions vary by state, so you research your options to find the most affordable temporary health insurance plan near you. Don’t forget that this coverage is temporary, so you will need to be prepared to find other coverage when your policy expires. Take advantage of our free comparison tool below to get free health insurance quotes from local companies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is temporary health insurance?
Temporary healthcare plans typically bridge a short-term gap and can help you if you experience an accident or major illness during a period when you don’t have comprehensive health insurance.
What does temporary health insurance cover?
Although temporary health insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions, it can provide coverage for certain services such as routine office visits, preventive care, maternity care, mental health services, and prescription drugs.
Who is temporary health insurance for?
Those who need temporary health insurance are:
- Those waiting to be enrolled in a group plan by a new employer
- Recent college graduates
- Those transitioning from a spouse or parent’s health plan
- Those making a career change
- Those who are seasonally employed
- Those needing coverage outside of the open enrollment period
- Those waiting for enrollment in Medicare after retirement
Which companies offer short-term health insurance?
Everest, Pivot Health, United Healthcare, and IHC Health Group are among the companies offering temporary health insurance coverage. Enter your ZIP code below to find temporary health insurance near you.
How do I enroll in a short-term health insurance plan?
You typically apply online with a short questionnaire about your health and medical history to determine your rates.
How much does temporary health insurance cost?
Temporary health insurance typically has lower premiums because coverage is limited, but your medical history will be considered before you are provided with coverage. For example, if you have pre-existing conditions or a health problem prior to the date your new coverage is expected to start, you may be denied coverage.
Your life insurance quotes are always free.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Benjamin Carr
Former State Farm Insurance Agent
Benjamin Carr worked as a licensed insurance agent at State Farm and Tennant Special Risk. He sold various lines of coverage and informed his clients about their life, health, property/casualty insurance needs. Assessing risks and helping people find the best coverage to suit their needs is a passion of his. He appreciates that insurance was designed to protect people, particularly during times...
Former State Farm Insurance Agent
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about life insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything life insurance-related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by life insurance experts.