Insuring Your Health For A Short Period Of Time

By Author: Norris Rios
Total Articles: 572
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If you have recently graduated from college or moved to live alone or with your partner, you have to clearly understand that your parents' insurance coverage does not include you anymore. Leaving your current job in search for a better deal also leaves you without coverage. So does being on the new one for a shorter period of time, because some companies will require you to be employed for at least three months to be eligible for group insurance plans. Regardless of what is the situation you are in currently, having no health coverage during the transition period is quite risky and will cost you quite a lot in medical bills if something bad happens.

In such a case, you need short-term health coverage, and as you can guess from the name, such a policy implies coverage for a period between one to six months. In some cases, short-term medical coverage can be provided for a period of twelve months. If your insurance needs take more than the specified period of time, you are always free to renew the policy, but don't expect to find something extended for more than a year in this category of plans.

With the majority ...
... of short-term plans you will be covered in situations such as accidents and illnesses. As you may guess, having a short-term plan will deliver certain limits in what concerns the benefits, and you will be required to pay a larger deductible and co-payments as well. On the other hand, you will be free to choose the medical facility and the specialist from where to get assistance with the policy. It will include services like inpatient and outpatient care, hospital room, laboratory exams and X-rays. Physical exams are rarely included in such plans and you are covered right from the moment of your first premium payment. The application process with such insurance plans are usually a lot easier and convenient if compared to long-term health insurance plans.

In order to not be too costly, short-term plans usually drop out some benefits you will usually get with typical long-term plans such as treatment of pre-existing conditions, regular medical examinations, optical and dental care, as well as pregnancy and childbirth assistance.

Short-term health coverage plans are free from usual portability demands of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). The insurance companies providing such plans aren't legally required to guarantee that the policies will be renewed, and most carriers won't do so. They aren't also required to waive pre-existing medical condition restrictions with the persons who can opt for such waivers.

In any case, even with their limitations, short-term health insurance plans are one of the best options when there's a gap in regular coverage. The other option being the lack of insurance altogether, and we all know how dangerous and financially devastating that might be when something unpleasant happens. The choice is yours of course, so be wise when making it.