Application and underwriting
The carrier may ask health questions, review medical history, decline an application, or exclude certain conditions according to the policy and applicable law.
Short-Term Health Insurance
Temporary health coverage for a defined gap between longer-term plans.
Review short-term health insurance by comparing the policy term, medical underwriting, exclusions, benefit limits, provider access, and the costs that may remain your responsibility.
- Temporary coverage periods
- Medical underwriting may apply
- Availability varies by state
Temporary coverage
Designed for a limited period
Limited protections
Not the same as ACA major medical coverage
33 states
Licensed agency service area
How short-term coverage works
The plan is issued for a limited period and may use medical underwriting.
Short-term policies are generally designed for temporary coverage gaps. They are not required to follow all Affordable Care Act rules that apply to comprehensive individual health insurance.
Call (561) 960-4939Defined coverage period
The start date, end date, maximum term, and renewal rules depend on current federal requirements, state law, carrier availability, and the specific policy.
Plan-specific benefits
Deductibles, coinsurance, provider networks, prescription benefits, and policy maximums can differ substantially from one plan to another.
No assumption of renewal
Continuation may require a new application or may not be available. A change in health could affect eligibility for later short-term coverage.
Possible coverage categories
Check each benefit in the actual policy documents.
Short-term plan designs vary. A policy may cover some of the categories below, but covered services, deductibles, coinsurance, maximums, and exclusions must be confirmed before enrollment.
Doctor visits
Eligible primary care or specialist services may be subject to a deductible, copay, coinsurance, network rules, or visit limits.
Urgent and emergency care
Coverage may apply to eligible urgent or emergency services, subject to the plan's cost-sharing and benefit rules.
Hospital services
Inpatient care, outpatient procedures, and surgery may be covered within the policy's limits and exclusions.
Diagnostic services
Laboratory tests, imaging, and other diagnostic services may be covered when medically necessary under the policy.
Prescription drugs
Prescription coverage can be limited, use a separate deductible, rely on a formulary, or be excluded from a particular plan.
Preventive care
Preventive benefits are not standardized in the same way as ACA Marketplace plans and may be limited or subject to cost-sharing.
Short-term health insurance is not ACA-compliant major medical coverage. It may exclude pre-existing conditions, omit categories of care, impose benefit maximums, and provide fewer consumer protections than comprehensive coverage.
Key differences to review
A lower premium does not show the full financial risk.
Read the exclusions, maximums, underwriting terms, and transition rules alongside the monthly premium.
Pre-existing conditions
A policy may exclude or restrict care related to conditions that existed before coverage began.
Essential benefits
The plan is not required to cover every essential health benefit required of ACA Marketplace plans.
Benefit maximums
Annual, policy, service, or condition-specific limits may cap what the insurer will pay.
Marketplace transition
Do not assume that the end of short-term coverage creates a Special Enrollment Period for Marketplace insurance.
Who may review short-term coverage
Temporary options can be considered when there is a specific, defined coverage gap.
Waiting for new coverage to begin
Review the exact dates of the gap and confirm whether another option, such as Marketplace or COBRA coverage, is available.
Leaving one source of coverage
Compare short-term coverage with any Special Enrollment Period, continuation coverage, or other comprehensive option before deciding.
Managing a temporary change
Consider how long the gap is expected to last and whether the plan's exclusions and renewal limits fit that period.
Before choosing a plan
Confirm the gap, compare alternatives, and read the exclusions.
The policy should be assessed against both the expected coverage period and the financial risk of services it does not cover.
-
01
Define the dates
Identify when current coverage ends and when the next expected source of comprehensive coverage begins.
-
02
Check other options
Review Marketplace eligibility, COBRA, Medicaid or CHIP, and other available coverage before relying on a short-term plan.
-
03
Read the policy
Check underwriting, pre-existing condition terms, exclusions, benefit maximums, network rules, and prescription coverage.
-
04
Plan the transition
Know how and when the policy ends, and do not rely on its expiration alone to create a Marketplace enrollment right.
Short-term health insurance FAQs
Common questions before selecting temporary coverage.
Availability, duration, underwriting, benefits, and renewal rules vary by state, carrier, policy date, and current law.
Contact the agencyIs short-term health insurance the same as an ACA Marketplace plan?
No. Short-term coverage is generally exempt from many federal individual-market requirements that apply to ACA-compliant major medical plans.
How long can a short-term policy last?
The permitted term depends on current federal rules, state law, the policy's issue date, and carrier availability. Review the exact effective date, termination date, and renewal language in the offered policy.
Are pre-existing conditions covered?
They may be excluded or restricted. Medical underwriting and look-back provisions can apply, so the policy's definition and exclusion language should be reviewed carefully.
Can an application be declined?
Yes. Depending on the plan and applicable law, a carrier may use medical underwriting and may decline an applicant or issue coverage with exclusions.
Does the end of short-term coverage create a Marketplace Special Enrollment Period?
Do not assume that it does. Short-term coverage generally is not qualifying health coverage for the Marketplace loss-of-coverage Special Enrollment Period. Other qualifying life events may still create enrollment eligibility.
Can I renew or buy another short-term plan when this one ends?
Continuation is not guaranteed. State law, federal rules, carrier offerings, underwriting, and your health at the time of a new application can affect availability.
Compare temporary coverage
Review the policy term, exclusions, underwriting, and alternatives before enrolling.
Call or email Hippo Health Insurance Agency to discuss available short-term health insurance options and how they differ from ACA-compliant coverage.