Not all short-term health insurance plans are created equal. How do you choose one?
You may already know that a short-term health plan is the only option available to most people who need to buy health insurance outside of the annual Obamacare open enrollment period.
So more and more insurance companies are offering these plans. Let’s briefly list a few variables before focusing on one in particular.
Factors to Consider When Shopping for a Short-Term Health Insurance Plan
Policy Length. How long can you keep your short-term health insurance plan? Most plans are available for up to 6 months, and there are a handful that won’t go that long. Some, however, are available for 11 months. If you’re wanting to maintain coverage in place of an Obamacare plan, you need the option of a longer duration.
Deductible Structure. Most short-term health plans give you a wide variety of deductible options ($500-$7,500 or more). But how is that deductible structured? Some plans have a per occurrence deductible, meaning you’ll have to pay the deductible amount for each diagnosis/incident that results in claims. While that will lower the price, it could significantly increase your out-of-pocket costs, so we recommend avoiding such plans. Find a plan with a true one-time deductible.
First-Dollar Benefits. Most short-term health plans are essentially catastrophic plans. You buy them to protect yourself in case something big happens, but they don’t provide any upfront benefits for doctor visits and that sort of thing. Some plans provide copays for an urgent care center or even for a certain number of doctor office visits.
Network. As with regular health insurance, short-term health insurance plans utilize a network of providers. You’ll want to be sure you choose one that covers doctors and hospitals that you would be likely to utilize if you needed medical care.
Learn more about short-term health insurance
Questions about Short-Term Health Insurance?
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