Short Term or Temporary Health Insurance For Gaps in Medical Coverage

Short-term health insurance or temporary health insurance is intended to keep you covered if ever there is a gap in your regular medical coverage. For instance, if you were covered by a health insurance policy through your employer but you find yourself between jobs, or if you have lost any other form of group health coverage and are not under COBRA, short-term health insurance can provide medical insurance benefits and coverage in the interim till you find the right policy for you and/or your family.

Short-term health coverage is based on a temporary plan, meaning it lasts a prescribed amount of time and cannot be renewed; you can however get further coverage pending a new application. Usually, temporary health insurance will last a maximum of one year, but most health insurance companies require the period of coverage to be between one and six months. Additionally, companies will usually be willing to extend the policy’s coverage to a spouse and dependents.

Due to the temporary nature of these plans, short-term health insurance for individuals differs from its standard counterpart in several important ways. Though there are expected differences from one health insurance carrier to another, generally, temporary health coverage does not pay for routine check-ups or preventative care services, and often excludes dental and vision care as well. Short-term plans do typically cover more critical items like emergency and ambulance services, lab tests, x-ray scans, intensive care and prescribed medications. These plans often cover hospital care, and sometimes even home care.

Like any other form of medical or health insurance, the cost of temporary coverage varies widely. If you think you are going to need short-term health insurance coverage, shop around and compare health insurance quotes for short-term major medical insurance policies from several different providers. Comparing rates at TheHealthInsuranceQuotes.com can help you save money – start now by entering your zip code and getting free insurance quotes.

Another way to get affordable health insurance premiums on temporary medical coverage is by agreeing to pay some portion of medical bills. For instance, you could restrict your claims only to bills that exceed a specified amount and then pay a percentage of all bills for health services you receive. So if you chose to pay the first $1,000 and 40% beyond that, your premiums would be lower than if you only paid $500 and 20% on the rest.

It’s important to remember that short-term health insurance, no matter how cheap you might get it, is for temporary needs and is not designed to substitute a standard medical insurance policy. Temporary coverage is your safety net against high, unexpected medical bills during those critical times you are without a permanent health plan.

Enter your zip code to find and compare free health insurance quotes online now.