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We recommend the best products through an independent review process, and advertisers do not influence our picks. We may receive compensation if you visit partners we recommend. Read our advertiser disclosure for more info. Short-term health or short-term medical insurance (STM) plans are meant to be used when you have a temporary insurance coverage gap. They’re a good fit for those who have lost a job, are no longer eligible for a group insurance plan, find the cost of COBRA plans too expensive, or are not eligible for special enrollment in an Affordable Care Act (ACA)-compliant plan and must wait until the next open enrollment period. The best short-term health insurance plans cover essential benefits at an affordable price. While many short-term health plans have restrictive maximum limits, high co-pays or deductibles, or no coverage for pre-existing conditions, the best plans offer comprehensive coverage at a reasonable cost. Best Short-Term Health Insurance Providers of 2022
Best Overall: Everest Everest
Why We Chose It We chose Everest as best overall for its low deductibles, reasonable prices, and the most dynamic doctor visit coverage, including wellness visits, emergency care, and mental disorder care. Pros and Cons Pros
Cons
Overview Everest has been underwriting insurance since 1973. The company has a Moody’s insurance financial strength rating of A1 with various policy types on the market, including property, casualty, specialty, accident, and health insurance. It offers policies in 25 states across the country. A few features of Everest STM include:
When you get approved, emergency coverage begins the next day, and there's a five-day waiting period for the routine wellness benefit. There is a 30-day waiting period for cancer benefits (cancer must be newly diagnosed 30 days after plan start date) and a six-month waiting period for certain other covered services, such as tonsillectomy, herniorrhaphy, and more. Although Everest does not offer coverage for prescriptions, it does provide discount cards. Best for Longest Policy Options: UnitedHealthcare UnitedHealthcare
Why We Chose It UnitedHealthcare is our top choice for the longest policy options because it is the only provider with up-to-36-month coverage where allowable by state law. Pros and Cons Pros
Cons
Overview UnitedHealthcare underwrites its policies through Golden Rule Insurance Company, a part of UnitedHealthcare since 2003. The company has been selling short-term health insurance for over 30 years, and policies are available in 25 states. UnitedHealthcare has a Moody’s insurer financial strength rating of A1. You can request a quote on UnitedHealthcare's website to see what it would charge in your case. In some states, you must join the Federation of American Consumers and Travelers (FACT), and there will be an additional charge of $4 per month as a result. The FACT is a consumer organization that provides savings to members on 20 different benefits and coverages. The length of policies varies from one month to 12 months, with options to renew up to 36 months on the TriTerm Medical plan. There are STM plans that cover 100% of medical costs after you meet the deductible (0% coinsurance) or options with 20%, 30%, or 40% coinsurance until you reach the annual maximums. You can also customize if your plan needs to include prescription medication. Maximum benefits range from $500,000 to $2 million and are subject to exclusions, such as maternity care, accident-related events, emergency services, preventive care, hospitalization, pre-existing conditions, and prescription drugs. Coverage begins after you meet the deductible with options of $2,500, $5,000, $7,500, $10,000, or $15,000. Waiting periods vary depending on the coverage in the plan. There is a six-month waiting period for preventive care benefits. Services related to eligible pre-existing conditions are only covered after 12 months. Best Value: Pivot Health Pivot Health
Why We Chose It Pivot provides a vast selection of affordable basic coverages and valuable options so that you can get the right policy for the right price, with the ability to add numerous discounts for things like prescription drugs and vision care. Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Overview Pivot Health has been around since 2016, managing over $7 billion in insurance premiums, and is affiliated with Communicating for America, a consumer advocacy group in favor of affordable healthcare for Americans. Pivot Health underwrites its short-term health plans through Companion Life Insurance Company, which has an AM Best financial stability rating of A+ (Superior). Pivot Health is available in 27 states. Pivot Health has easy-to-use online tools that help you prioritize your insurance needs before it gives you quotes, and it offers a selection of available features, as well, such as up to 70% off prescription drugs. You will also receive discounts of 15% to 30% off eye exams, frames, lenses, and contacts, making this company stand out for excellent STM value. You can get a quote on the Pivot website to see what plans it offers in your area and what they cost. You can choose deductibles between $1,000 and $10,000, and the maximum annual limits range from $100,000 to $1 million. All plans have coinsurance of 20% or 30%, and the maximum out-of-pocket cost for coinsurance is between $3,000 and $10,000. Examples of some of common exclusions include pre-existing conditions, immunizations, routine physical exams, and injuries resulting from extreme sports. The waiting periods are five days for illness, 30 days for cancer, and six months for certain specified items like a tonsillectomy. Best for Customized Coverage: IHC Health Group IHC Health Group
Why We Chose It The IHC Group offers low- to high-deductible options and the ability to add pre-existing condition coverage, making it the most customizable plan provider that we reviewed. Pros and Cons Pros
Cons
Overview The IHC Group is an organization of insurance carriers operating short-term insurance plans in 35 states, including member insurers such as Independence American Insurance Company. Your policy will be serviced by one of these companies depending on where you live, and some states require membership in Communicating for America, a national non-profit organization whose mission is to promote health and wellbeing through member benefits. AM Best gives an A- (Excellent) financial strength rating to the IHC Group. AM Best has placed IHC's financial strength and long-term issuer credit ratings under review after the company agreed to sell a 70% stake in its pet division and other assets. Request a quote online to see what IHC Group offers in your state and how much it'd charge you. Exploring a range of policies from IHC Group carriers, deductible options generally included $2,500, $5,000, and $10,000. The coinsurance options we found were 20%, 30%, or 50%, with out-of-pocket maximums between $4,000 and $10,000. Plans vary by state, and we found outliers with lower deductibles and higher out-of-pocket maximums. Supplementalcoverage for dental or hospital/surgery insurance can be added to plans, and IHC members are also offered prescription discount plans and telemedicine consultation options. Common exclusions include pre-existing conditions, including anything treated or consulted upon within five years before coverage became effective. Exclusions are different by state and issuing provider. For example, the Independence American Insurance Company policy we reviewed did not pay benefits for chiropractic care, mental health treatment, or periodic health exams, but did include an option to cover $25,000 for pre-existing conditions such as known illnesses or injuries in the Connect Plus Plan. Final VerdictThere are options when it comes to short-term health insurance. While short-term medical insurance is much more limited than a typical health insurance policy, the best short-term health insurance policies serve as a temporary stop-gap between plans provided by an employer or purchased on the marketplace. Our top pick for short-term health insurance is Everest. Everest offers flexible,
affordable short-term health insurance plans. Rather than being confined to a network, patients are free to see the doctor they choose. Deductibles start at $1,000, and plans come with maximum coverage benefits of up to $1.5 million. Plans from Everest also come with home health care, physical therapy, mental health, and substance abuse coverage. Compare the Best Short-Term Health Insurance Providers
Frequently Asked QuestionsDo You Need Short-Term Health Insurance?If you lose other health insurance coverage or are temporarily between jobs, you may need to purchase short-term health insurance. However, there are other options available. If you recently lost a job, you may be eligible for COBRA insurance. You also may be able to sign up for a new policy through the health insurance marketplace if you’ve experienced a qualifying event such as loss of healthcare coverage, change in residence, or other life changes such as marriage, divorce, or having a baby. How Do You Compare Short-Term Health Insurance Providers?
There are a few factors you should keep in mind when shopping for short-term health insurance:
How Do You Choose the Best Short-Term Health Insurance Provider for You?Once you’ve settled on a short-term health insurance provider, the next step is to apply for a health insurance quote. If you decide to select the policy after receiving a quote, you’ll need to provide information about yourself, including your name, address, and Social Security number. Most short-term insurance providers allow customers to pay for policies online. You typically can manage your policy and make any necessary changes online. After applying for a short-term policy, you’ll receive a health insurance card in the mail. Depending on your policy details, some services may be covered as soon as the next day after applying, while others may not be covered for several months. Keep in mind that short-term health insurance is only meant to be a temporary stop-gap; there are cheaper plans available on the marketplace during open enrollment. Who Is Eligible for Short-Term Health Insurance?Short-term health insurance provides limited coverage as a temporary bridge while you wait to qualify for an ACA-compliant plan. It can be used when you do not yet qualify for a group insurance plan or are waiting for the next open enrollment. Some people choose short-term health insurance as temporary coverage in case of an emergency if they suddenly are without coverage for various reasons. Examples might be:
Anyone can apply for short-term health insurance. However, because it is not ACA compliant, it uses medical underwriting and may refuse to insure you (or offer only limited coverage). Depending on which state you are in, coverage may be available only for a limited time, up to a maximum of three years. How Can You Buy Short-Term Health Insurance?Short-term health insurance is available through quotes you can obtain by phone or directly on an insurance company's website. Online marketplaces and insurance agencies also have websites that provide quotes with various insurers (in some cases hundreds), making it easy to find options. Some examples include eHealth and Agile. Short-term coverage always has been known as a lower-cost health insurance option. Still, with many tax credits available for lower-income individuals, it is important to consider all your options. Check if you qualify for a special enrollment period, and be sure and check what you can get in the ACA marketplace first. Even some zero-premium Bronze ACA plans are available for low-income enrollees in parts of the country. How Much Does Short-Term Health Insurance Cost?The average cost of short-term health insurance for a single person is $124 a month compared to $456 for an unsubsidized ACA-compliant plan. We found plans with coverage more suited to the concept of catastrophic plans (due to their high deductibles) for as low as $60 a month. It can be confusing due to the lack of consistency in plan coverages, but it is recommended to shop and compare the options line by line. What Does Short-Term Health Insurance Cover?Short-term medical insurance is meant to cover hospital room and board, emergency health situations, inpatient doctor visits, and other unexpected medical needs not part of pre-existing conditions. Unfortunately, confusion about how the coverage works and existing exclusions create a lot of claim denials. These are emergency plans with limitations for preventive care and high deductibles. Short-term health providers will tailor different types of packages in varying price ranges. You can find some policies that offer more coverage than others. You do not need to settle for a bare minimum plan, so be sure and ask about preventive care add-ons or other coverage to get the best quotes. It is worth comparing a few options before you make a decision. What Does Short-Term Health Insurance Exclude?Short-term health plans have many exclusions, including no coverage for pre-existing conditions. Short-term health plans are not subject to the ACA provisions and are not ACA-compliant. Short-term health plans leave you with significant risks of incurring medical debt due to high deductibles, extensive exclusions, and, because of this, potential denials of coverage. Exclusions that demonstrate the limitations found in many short-term health plans include these statistics:
Short-term health plans do not cover wellness visits, although we found a few in our reviews that do offer it for a cost. How Does Short-Term Health Insurance Compare to COBRA?COBRA plans allow you to maintain the coverage you had through your employer or previous group benefits, including all the ACA-compliant essential benefits, and allow you to maintain coverage for things like pregnancy or mental health if your former plan covered it. In contrast, short-term medical plans provide you with much less coverage and no essential benefits. The average cost of a COBRA plan depends greatly on what kind of plan your employer or group had in the first place. In some cases, the employer may continue to pay into the plan for you, which will give you a reduced cost. In others, you may end up having to pay into the plan yourself fully. Don’t forget to consider that all amounts you already paid toward your deductible will count toward the COBRA continuation of benefits, and this can save you a lot of money, especially if you plan to be on it for only a short while. MethodologyWe looked at short-term health insurance plans through insurance companies and independent health insurance marketplaces to discover what options exist. We investigated waiting periods, qualifications, coverage types, common exclusions, maximum limits, deductibles, and copays across the different plans. Our goal was to highlight some of the best short-term health insurance options offered through reputable insurance companies to help you compare and decide if short-term health insurance is a good idea for you. What is a short term medical expense policy?Short Term Medical is a temporary coverage option, so plans cannot be renewed like permanent insurance. However, when your plan expires, you may apply for another plan if you have not had in total more than 540 days of short–term coverage within the preceding 24–month period. Coverage for unexpected illness and injury.
How long does it take to get approved for short term insurance?Short term plans provide coverage quickly, with most applicants getting approved within 1-14 days, according to eHealth. The earliest short term coverage can take effect is the day after applying; depending on what your situation is you may want to choose a later effective date.
What is the point of short term health insurance?Short term medical insurance, also called temporary health insurance or term health insurance, can provide a temporary solution to help fill gaps in coverage. Consider short term if you're: Between jobs. Waiting for other coverage to begin.
What is the downside to short term health insurance?These are some potential drawbacks of short-term health insurance: Short-term coverage may not offer any benefits for maternity, mental health, or any sort of pre-existing condition. If you suffer from some pre-existing conditions, you could be denied coverage, unlike with Obamacare.
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