If you have been on a quest for new health insurance, there is a good chance that you have heard of or come across the Marketplace before. You will find a handful of Affordable Care Act (ACA)-compliant Obamacare plans there. Even though the prevalent insurance programs you are likely to see are mostly Obamacare health plans, there are just a very few non-Obamacare alternatives open through the health insurance marketplace.
You can purchase these plans at any time, even if the Open Enrollment Period has already passed. There are no other places to purchase short-term health policies than from brokers, insurance agents, and some insurers, as well as some online insurance providers. Aside from that, they also provide far less comprehensive coverage than plans that comply with the ACA. Many states have disallowed them completely due to the lack of coverage they provide.
Many people think temporary health insurance is the only way to obtain temporary coverage. It may seem to them that Obamacare plans must be delayed for a year or longer. The truth is apparently the opposite. Health insurance plans under Obamacare can be purchased for a month between jobs or many years.
Take the time to educate yourself about what short-term health insurance covers and what it does not.
The coverage provided by short-term plans is lesser compared to other regular health insurance policies.
In comparison to Obamacare, short-term insurance plans offer fewer benefits. As a result of the Affordable Care Act, all Obamacare plans must include coverage for the most basic health benefits. Pre-existing conditions, emergency services, mental health care, maternity care, and prescription medication coverage are all included.
Preventative care, prescription medicines, mental health, and any pre-existing illnesses are generally not covered by short-term insurance, which covers unforeseen sickness or injury, some inpatient and outpatient hospital treatments, and emergency department visits. Because of the care you’ve had under their plan, short-term policies may deny you coverage in the future.
Is Short-Term Health Insurance Available in the Marketplace?
Health insurance programs that can be accessed for only a short period do not meet the requirements outlined in the Affordable Care Act. As a result, you will not be able to find such plans in the Marketplace. On the Marketplace, both during Open Enrollment and during Special Enrollment Periods, only ACA-compliant plans are available. On both HealthCare.gov and the Skyline Insurance Agency site, you will see that what is being offered there are only short-term health insurance plans. Rather, comprehensive coverage is available.
Through marketplace plans, you can purchase short-term or long-term health insurance. Short-term plans, on the other hand, often cover you for a period of 30 to 90 days. Depending on your situation, you may be able to get short-term insurance for a year.
Short-Term Health Insurance Sometimes Costs More Than Obamacare.
The average premium for a three-month short-term plan for an individual was $107 a month in 2018 and $258 for a family. Compared to Obamacare, short-term health insurance plans are cheaper. There are, however, many government subsidies available for ACA plans, which are often more affordable than short-term plans.
As of 2019, almost half of all Skyline Insurance Agency enrollees had monthly Obamacare premiums below $50/month after subsidies. Nearly 1 in 5 of all Skyline Insurance Agency enrollees had zero monthly premiums.
It’s possible to compare Obamacare plans and discover whether you qualify for a subsidy or a tax credit while also shopping around. If you’d like to view plans and pricing in your region, just type in your zip code in the box below.
Even though you might not qualify for a subsidy, short-term health insurance plans might be less expensive than Marketplace plans. These plans are less expensive, but they do not cover as many types of care and have high deductibles. Therefore, even if the premiums are less expensive, the actual cost of using the insurance may be significant.
Are COVID-19 testing and treatment covered by short-term health insurance plans?
Always be on the lookout for misleading information about short-term health insurance plans and COVID-19 testing. Although an agent may tell you that screening is part of a short-term plan, this is not always the case. Many short-term policies don’t come with lab benefits.
You wouldn’t be covered for COVID-19 treatment if you had any symptoms or had acquired coronavirus and were still asymptomatic upon enrollment since short-term health insurance policies don’t cover pre-existing diseases.
Many short-term health insurance policies include daily benefit limitations, even if total lifetime hospital benefits are up to the amount needed to pay COVID-19 treatment in the event of hospitalization. In addition, the daily hospitalization benefit amount would often go above the daily benefit cap.
Suppose there’s a hole in my health insurance coverage. What are my alternative options?
There are a handful of other types of insurance coverage that are available to you as well.
Obamacare plan/Marketplace. To get health insurance via the Marketplace, you’ll need to sign up for Obamacare or Affordable Care Act coverage, respectively. Visit this page to learn more about the options and associated fees.
Medicaid. Depending on your income, you may potentially be eligible for Medicaid. Determine your eligibility and submit your application online by visiting this page.
Medicare. When you reach 65, you become eligible for Medicare. To enroll, please call us at (801) 396-8200.
COBRA. In the case of a loss of employment, you may be eligible for COBRA, which gives you the same health insurance your former employer provided. COBRA is significantly more expensive than the Marketplace, but you are still able to keep your existing insurance. Check out the differences between COBRA health insurance and the Affordable Care Act.
