Temporary Health Insurance Coverage
Get a Cheap Temporary Health Insurance Quote Online for FREE
If you are in need of health insurance for a short period of time, then cheap temporary health insurance coverage may be just what you need. Ideal for those between jobs or just out of college, temporary insurance coverage offers protection against major accidents or illness for a short period of time. Read the bullet points below to find out more about temporary health plans.
If you are in the market for cheap temporary health insurance coverage, then you need to visit eHealthInsurance, the leading online destination for medical plans of all types. With the ability to instantly receive a FREE, no-obligation temporary health insurance quote, eHealthInsurance makes it incredibly easy to compare your options and apply for a policy right from your computer without having to go through the problem of calling around to various providers finding the right protection.
Temporary Insurance Plan Quotes
Following is a brief explanation of temporary health coverage. For additional information, please see the video and comparison table below.
- A temporary health plan is usually good for up to six months, though some policies may be good for one year. This is definitely not a long-term solution, but rather a stop-gap measure until a traditional policy can be had either through work, or by purchasing one.
- At the end of your first term, most providers will allow you to reapply for a second term, but usually not a third, etc. If you need more permanent coverage, then you need to look into an individual or family health insurance plan, which can be renewed indefinitely, as long as you keep paying the premiums and don't violate a term of the contract.
- Short-term health plans offer protection against major accidents or illness. They do not offer comprehensive coverage like long-term health insurance plans, such as coverage for preventative care, dental or vision care, or other benefits typically associated with a traditional policy. Temporary insurance coverage is for major emergencies only due to their limited benefits.
- Temporary health plans don't usually cover pre-existing conditions and will exclude any, should they exist.
- There is generally a lifetime benefits cap with a short-term policy, unlike traditional policies which have no lifetime benefits cap. This shouldn't be much of an issue since this is only temporary protection, but it is definitely something to be aware of.
- If you recently lost existing medical coverage through an employer, getting temporary health insurance coverage will make you ineligible for a guaranteed issue long-term medical policy. These policies are typically called HIPAA plans and are usually very expensive as they are for people with pre-existing conditions that cannot get coverage otherwise. So if you need to maintain eligibility for a HIPPA plan, then do not get a temporary insurance policy.
Temporary health coverage is an affordable way to get medical coverage while you look for a longer term solution. Because they do not offer the level of coverage of an individual or family medical policy, they are truly only for emergencies and for the short-term. An ideal situation for their use would be when you are between jobs, and you are expecting to be covered under an employers plan within the next six months. Otherwise, you would be better off just purchasing a long-term policy that offers expanded coverage, while also being renewable.
While a short-term solution might be the right fit in some situations, it isn't the correct answer for everyone because of its limitations and reduced benefits. See the below video and comparison table to see if a short-term or long-term policy is right for you. Generally, a short-term policy is the correct solution for a very specific situation, for example if you are expecting to have access to a traditional policy in the near future.
Temporary Health Coverage Quotes
The easiest and fastest way to find out what temporary health plans are right for you is to visit eHealthInsurance, the web's leading source for medical insurance. With policies available from top providers, eHealthInsurance offers the best rates you will find anywhere. This is because health coverage premiums are set by your state, which means that no matter where you get a quote for a particular plan from, the premiums will be the same. So take advantage of the tools eHealthInsurance gives you to quickly compare your options for cheap health insurance temporary coverage and apply for the policy that is best for you.
Get a FREE, no-obligation temporary health insurance quote instantly from eHealthInsurance!
Differences Between Short-Term and Long-Term Health Insurance
Below is a video from eHealthInsurance discussing the differences between short and long-term health coverage.
Comparison Between Short and Long-Term (Major) Health Coverage
| Short-Term* | Long-Term** | |
| Basic Benefits - Both short and long-term plans provide coverage for doctors visits, emergency care, outpatient surgery, and possibly prescription drugs (depending on the plan). |  | |
| Additional Benefits - Long-term plans offer coverages that a short-term solution usually doesn't. These benefits include paying for preventative care, optional maternity coverage, better prescription drug coverage availability, and the potential option for chiropractic or other 'alternative' care. |  | |
| Lifetime Benefits Limit - Short-term policies usually have a lifetime benefits limit, such as $1 Million per person. | | |
| Unlimited Lifetime Benefits - New major medical policies issued after 23 September 2010 are prohibited from establishing lifetime benefit limits on individuals. | | |
| Eligibility Restrictions - In most states, health insurance providers may decline applicants for short-term plans, as well as an individual or family long-term major medical plan, based upon their medical history, including pre-existing conditions. | | |
| Exclusions Allowed - An applicant may be approved for a policy, but certain pre-existing medical conditions may be excluded from coverage. | | |
| Exclusions Prohibited - If an applicant is approved for coverage, no pre-existing conditions can be excluded. However, waiting periods before coverage starts for certain conditions may be imposed. | | |
| Easier to Qualify For - A short-term health plan may be easier to qualify for, as they are allowed to exclude certain pre-existing medical conditions, and do not have guaranteed renewability. | | |
| Harder to Qualify For - It is harder to qualify for coverage under an individual or family long-term plan for several reasons: 1) Pre-existing conditions cannot be excluded; 2) The policy must be renewed as long as the insured pays their bills and doesn't violate a term of their contract. | | |
| Canceling Coverage - The insured may cancel their plan at anytime. However, premiums that were paid in advance may not be refunded. With a short-term policy, it is common to pay in advance for coverage, which means if the insured cancels the plan before the policy term is up (typically a six month term), then they are out the remainder of the premium. Major medical plans typically are paid on a month-to-month basis, which means if a policy is cancelled mid-month, the insured would only be in danger of losing a few weeks worth of premium, not a few months worth. | | |
| Renewal NOT Guaranteed - A short-term medical plan provider is only required by law to provide coverage for the term of the contract, which is typically just six months. They do not have to renew a policy, which means if an illness befalls an insured individual, the insurance provider is not obligated to continue coverage after the policy term is up. If this were to happen, the sick individual might not be eligible for coverage under a major medical plan, and may have a very hard time finding medical coverage. Even if an insured does not become ill, the short-term plan provider will most likely not continue to renew the policy time and time again - after all, a short-term policy is intended to provide coverage for a limited time period. If a permanent solution is needed, then the individual needs a long-term (major) medical policy. | | |
| Guaranteed Renewal - As long as the insured pays their premiums, doesn't cancel coverage, and doesn't violate a term of their contract, their policy is guaranteed to be renewed year after year, regardless of any medical conditions that may come up. If an insured person develops an illness or cancer while covered under a major medical plan, the insurance company must continue to renew the policy each year. | | |
*Short-Term Plans - A short-term healthcare plan is designed to be used as a stopgap measure until a long-term solution can be obtained. For example, if a person is between jobs and plans to have employment that provides major medical coverage within the next six to twelve months, a short-term plan may be the right fit for them. As a temporary solution, short-term plans often come with a higher deductible and usually offer reduced benefits when compared to a long-term solution.
**Long-Term Plans - A long-term healthcare plan is also called a major medical insurance plan and is the type of a plan one would get from an employer, or purchase on their own as an individual or family major medical plan. There is a wide variety of long-term major medical plans available, with a range of deductibles, benefits, and monthly premiums. A long-term plan is the right solution for someone that needs a permanent healthcare insurance solution, rather than just something to get them by for a few months.
