The Benefits of Short-Term Health Insurance
Short-term health insurance offers flexible, fast coverage for times of change in your life. Coverage can start as soon as the day after you apply, and you can usually choose from several deductible options to balance your premium against what you would pay when you need care. You can also typically cancel without penalty if a more permanent health insurance option comes along. Many short-term plans use large national provider networks, so check that your doctors are included before you enroll.
What Is Short-Term Health Insurance?
Short-term health insurance is a type of health insurance that provides coverage for a limited period of time. It is designed for people who need temporary protection, such as those between jobs or waiting for other coverage to begin. Short-term plans often have lower premiums than ACA-compliant plans, but they usually come with higher deductibles and cover less.
What Short-Term Plans Don’t Cover
If you are considering short-term health insurance, it is important to understand the limitations. Short-term plans don’t have to follow Affordable Care Act rules, so they can ask health questions, decline your application, and exclude pre-existing conditions. Many plans limit or leave out preventive care, maternity care, mental health care, and prescription drugs, and most have a maximum on what the plan will pay in total. Short-term coverage also doesn’t count as minimum essential coverage and doesn’t qualify for premium tax credits.
Read the policy carefully to understand what is and isn’t covered, and ask questions so you know exactly what you are buying.
How Long Short-Term Coverage Can Last
How long a short-term plan can last depends on federal rules and on your state. Federal limits on short-term plan length have changed several times in recent years, and states can set stricter limits of their own. Some states don’t allow short-term plans at all. A licensed broker can tell you which plans and term lengths are available where you live today.
As of 2026, a 2024 federal rule still limits new short-term plans to four months in total, but in August 2025 federal regulators said they would no longer prioritize enforcing it and encouraged states to follow suit. In many states that means plans of up to 12 months at a time, with renewals of up to 36 months in total, are available again.
Who Short-Term Health Insurance May Be Right For
Short-term insurance may make sense if you missed the ACA Open Enrollment Period and don’t qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, if you are waiting for ACA or employer coverage to start, or if you are between jobs. It can also help if you are turning 26 and coming off a parent’s plan, or if you need coverage to bridge you to Medicare.
If you have health conditions, take regular medications, or are planning a pregnancy, an ACA plan is usually the safer choice, since short-term plans can exclude those costs.
Short-Term Health Insurance vs. ACA Plans
ACA plans cover pre-existing conditions, include the essential health benefits, have a yearly out-of-pocket maximum, and can qualify for premium tax credits that lower your monthly cost. Short-term plans can be less expensive and available year-round, but they trade those protections for a lower premium. For some people with lower incomes, a subsidized ACA plan can cost less than a short-term plan, so it is worth comparing both. Learn more on our individual and family health insurance page.
How to Compare Short-Term Plans
When you compare plans, look past the monthly premium. Check the deductible and coinsurance, the maximum the plan will pay in total, whether your doctors and hospitals are in the network, and how the plan defines a pre-existing condition and how far back it looks. It also helps to know whether the plan can be renewed and whether you would have to answer health questions again to keep coverage. For a side-by-side look at short-term and ACA coverage, see our Individual and Family Health Plan Guide.
How iHealthBrokers Can Help
Our licensed brokers compare short-term plans from multiple carriers, explain what each one does and does not cover, and help you decide whether short-term or ACA coverage fits your situation better, at no cost to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I be denied short-term health insurance?
Yes. Short-term plans can ask about your health history and decline your application or exclude conditions you already have.
Can I buy a short-term plan any time of year?
In states that allow short-term plans, you can usually apply at any time, with no open enrollment period required.
Is short-term health insurance available in my state?
It depends on where you live. Some states ban short-term plans and others limit how long they can last. A broker can check what is available to you.
Does short-term insurance work as a bridge to Medicare?
It can, for a short gap before your Medicare coverage starts. Make sure your short-term plan’s dates line up with your Medicare start date so you aren’t left without coverage.
