UnitedHealthcare Short-Term Insurance Review (2024)

What You Should Know About UnitedHealthcare

UnitedHealthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, has been serving millions of customers across the United States for decades. Founded in 1977, the company has a long-standing commitment to improving the healthcare system and making quality care more accessible and affordable for individuals and families.

UnitedHealthcare short-term insurance can help when you find yourself between permanent plans. Through Golden Rule insurance, UnitedHealthcare offers short-term plans in 25 states, plus Washington D.C.

UnitedHealthcare Insurance Coverage Options

What is UnitedHealthcare’s short-term insurance?

UnitedHealthcare and Golden Rule Insurance have worked together to provide short-term health policies since 2003. Although Golden Rule was founded in 1940, it primarily serves as UnitedHealthcare’s short-term policy writer today.

As part of the UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare is a Fortune 500 company with a solid financial presence in the healthcare sector. It’s also the largest healthcare provider in America. Although you purchase short-term insurance through Golden Rule, you’re getting all the power behind UnitedHealthcare.

Golden Rule sells a variety of short-term insurance policies with the option of adding critical illness plans, vision coverage, and dental insurance to your policy. UnitedHealthcare has two short-term options through Golden Rule, which give you access to over 1.4 million providers.

Read more: Golden Rule Health Insurance Company Review

Golden Rule TriTerm Insurance

When Americans look for a job, one of the most important factors they consider is healthcare benefits. However, not all jobs offer affordable options for health insurance. Whether you’re ineligible for benefits, your job doesn’t provide them, or you’re self-employed, there are plenty of reasons why you might need to buy private insurance.

The ideal health insurance plan will stay in effect for as long as you make your payments. Life rarely works exactly the way you’d like, though. When you need to wait for a permanent policy, a short-term plan can keep you covered.

The first of UnitedHealthcare’s short-term insurance policies is the TriTerm plan. This plan is unique among other short-term policies because it allows you to keep it for up to three years. Most short-term plans end after a year, including others offered by Golden Rule.

Another unique feature of the TriTerm plan is the access to expanded healthcare services. Most short-term plans only cover emergencies. However, TriTerm covers both emergency room visits and preventative services. Regular doctor checkups and annual flu shots are included with this plan.

Anyone on your TriTerm plan can visit the doctor when necessary, including when they are sick or have an injury that doesn’t warrant a trip to the E.R. TriTerm doesn’t limit the reasons that you can visit your doctor. However, the first four visits per year will cost you a $50 copay.

Finally, UnitedHealthcare sells add-ons to increase the coverage TriTerm offers, which you won’t find with many other short-term plans. Dental, vision, and accident coverage are available to add to your health coverage if you need them.

Golden Rule’s Short-Term

Short-Term Insurance Plans

• Flexible Duration: Coverage terms range from 30 days to 364 days, allowing individuals to select a duration that aligns with their specific needs and circumstances.
• Comprehensive Benefits: UnitedHealthcare’s short-term insurance plans provide coverage for essential healthcare services, including:
  • Doctor visits
  • Hospital stays
  • Emergency care
  • Prescription drugs
• Exclusions: While UnitedHealthcare’s short-term plans offer comprehensive coverage, it’s essential to note that certain exclusions may apply, such as:
  • Pre-existing conditions
  • Maternity care
  • Preventive services

Golden Rule’s basic short-term plan is best for people who don’t need extended temporary health insurance. There are numerous reasons a person might need short-term insurance, but the following are the most common:

• COBRA health insurance coverage is about to end
• You have a new job, and you’re waiting to enroll in benefits
• You missed open enrollment
• You’re waiting for ACA coverage to start
• You’re about to be eligible for Medicare coverage
• A 26-year-old is about to be kicked off their parent or guardian’s plan
• You’ve lost access to health insurance after a divorce

No matter why you need short-term insurance, you usually need it quickly. Golden Rule’s short-term plan usually takes effect as soon as you sign up for it.

Like more common short-term plans, this policy covers emergency care only.

Golden Rule Supplemental Insurance

While it’s not short-term insurance, you can buy supplemental insurance products through UnitedHealthcare and Golden Rule to expand your healthcare coverage. Permanent plans don’t always cover every health service you need. If that’s the case for you, you can purchase the following supplemental plans:

• Hospital and doctor
• SafeTrip travel insurance
• Dental insurance
• Accident insurance
• Critical illness
• Vision insurance
• Critical illness
• Hospital indemnity
• Term life insurance

With Golden Rule’s supplemental insurance plans, everything from dental work to vision exams is covered.

UnitedHealthcare Insurance Rates Breakdown

How much does UnitedHealthcare insurance cost?

While short-term health insurance is cheaper than the average health insurance cost, the price of coverage is still determined by a variety of factors, no matter what type of insurance you’re buying. For health insurance, companies look at the following factors:

• Younger people are less likely to use their health insurance since they typically have fewer healthcare needs.
• People who use tobacco face more adverse health risks than non-users. Health insurance companies can charge up to 50% more if you use tobacco. See our article, Can your doctor tell your insurance that you smoke?
• Cost of living, competitor prices, and local laws all affect the price of your insurance.
• The more people you have on your plan, the more it will cost.

While companies used to look at your health and gender, they are no longer permitted to do so. To see how much you might pay with UnitedHealthcare, look at the graph below.

The main factor that UnitedHealthcare considers is your location. Since short-term plans have limited coverage and don’t last very long, you won’t get many questions before receiving a quote.

UnitedHealthcare Discounts Available

UnitedHealthcare offers a variety of discounts to help customers save on their insurance premiums. These discounts include:

• Multi-Policy Discount: Customers can save by bundling multiple insurance policies, such as short-term health insurance with other types of coverage like auto or home insurance.
• Healthy Lifestyle Discount: This discount rewards individuals who maintain a healthy lifestyle by offering savings on their insurance premiums. Qualifying activities may include participating in wellness programs, achieving certain health milestones, or undergoing preventive screenings.
• Group Discounts: UnitedHealthcare may offer discounts for certain groups or affiliations, such as members of professional organizations or employees of participating companies. This discount encourages group enrollment and can result in significant savings for eligible individuals.

How UnitedHealthcare Ranks Among Providers

UnitedHealthcare operates in a competitive landscape within the health insurance industry, facing competition from several notable competitors. Some of the main competitors of UnitedHealthcare include:

• Aetna: Aetna, now a subsidiary of CVS Health, is another major player in the health insurance market. Aetna offers a diverse portfolio of insurance products, including short-term health insurance, with a focus on providing innovative solutions and personalized customer service.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS): BCBS is a federation of independent health insurance companies that collectively provide coverage to millions of individuals across the United States. With a strong presence in various states, BCBS offers a wide range of health insurance products, including short-term insurance plans, competing directly with UnitedHealthcare.
• Cigna: Cigna is a global health services company offering a range of insurance and health-related services. With a focus on promoting health and well-being, Cigna competes with UnitedHealthcare by providing comprehensive coverage options, including short-term insurance plans, to individuals and families.
• Humana: Humana is a leading health and well-being company that offers a variety of health insurance products, including short-term health insurance. With a focus on consumer-centric healthcare solutions, Humana competes with UnitedHealthcare by providing affordable and customizable coverage options.
• Kaiser Permanente: Kaiser Permanente is an integrated managed care consortium known for its unique model of providing both healthcare services and insurance coverage. Operating primarily in select regions, Kaiser Permanente offers competition to UnitedHealthcare with its comprehensive healthcare offerings, including short-term insurance plans. (For more information, read our “Kaiser Permanente Insurance Review & Complaints: Health Insurance“)
  

These competitors, along with other regional and national health insurance providers, contribute to a competitive marketplace where UnitedHealthcare must continually innovate and differentiate its offerings to attract and retain customers.

Read more: Humana Insurance Review & Complaints: Health Insurance

UnitedHealthcare Insurance Reviews

As one of the largest sellers of health insurance in the country, UnitedHealthcare has a lot of online reviews. Unfortunately, not all of its customers are happy.

Happy customers typically mention that the level of customer service from Golden Rule agents is appreciated. Agents that work under the UnitedHealthcare name don’t fare as well, as they are called robotic and insincere.

Unsatisfied customers say that the claims process is a nightmare. UnitedHealthcare is unwilling to help many customers with simple things, like replacing medication that was accidentally thrown away. Some people say it’s difficult to find a participating doctor in their area. Others feel lied to about their coverage and the requirements UnitedHealthcare insists on for specialty care.

Many customers say Golden Rule is reluctant to pay claims on short-term plans and that Golden Rule and UnitedHealthcare misrepresent what is covered by the short-term plans. An alarming number of customers were surprised to find that their insurance did not cover their doctor’s visits. (For more information, read our “Short-Term Car Insurance Coverage: An Expert Guide“).

Professional ratings are a little better. The Better Business Bureau gives UnitedHealthcare an A+, but hundreds of complaints are listed on the site.

A.M. Best also gives UnitedHealthcare a good rating, meaning it has strong financial stability.

Case Studies: UnitedHealthcare Short-Term Insurance

Case Study 1: Mark’s Bridge Coverage

Mark recently lost his job and, along with it, his employer-sponsored health insurance. He needed a temporary solution to bridge the gap until he found new employment. Mark decided to explore UnitedHealthcare’s short-term insurance options through Golden Rule Insurance.

He opted for their short-term plan, which provided coverage for emergencies during the transition period. This allowed Mark to have some peace of mind knowing he had temporary coverage until he secured a new job with health benefits.

Case Study 2: Sarah’s Affordable Option

Sarah, a recent college graduate, found herself without health insurance after aging out of her parent’s plan. As she began her job search, she wanted a cost-effective solution to ensure she was covered in case of any unexpected health issues.

Sarah chose UnitedHealthcare’s basic short-term plan offered through Golden Rule Insurance. Although this plan only covered emergency care, it provided her with the necessary coverage at an affordable price during her job search and transition period.

Case Study 3: Alex’s Supplemental Coverage

Alex had recently retired and was no longer covered by his employer’s health insurance plan. While he qualified for Medicare, he wanted additional coverage to complement his benefits. Alex decided to explore Golden Rule Insurance’s supplemental insurance plans offered in partnership with UnitedHealthcare.

He added dental and vision coverage to his existing Medicare plan, ensuring comprehensive coverage for his healthcare needs.