• eShortTermHealthInsurance Blog

  • Tuesday, September 07, 2010



It is perfectly natural to think that you might not be eligible for a short term health insurance plan just because you might have a pre-existing condition that is not covered under the insurance plan.

However, it may so happen that you have a medical condition that is an isolated condition for which you have been under treatment from some time. This does not mean that you are excluded from coverage by the short term insurance plan. For example, if you are undergoing treatment for a chronic disease like varicose veins, you might believe that you cannot be covered for anything. However, that is not true.

Though the pre-existing condition might not be covered, there are numbers of different diseases that can be covered by the insurance. Only the loss caused by the condition which you already have or for treatment of the condition will not be covered. Another important factor to remember is the look-back period. If the condition has not been treated for, or shown symptoms during, the look-back period, it is usually covered under the short term health insurance plan.

You are eligible for coverage from the age of 2 through 64, if you are not an expecting mother, father or planning on adopting. Also, you should not have another existing insurance from another company, even if it is for your pre-existing medical condition. There are, however, changes in the coverage of the pre-existing conditions from state to state and you need to examine the conditions before trying out your best option.


Yes, you can actually save money with short term health insurance if you plan well and intelligently before and after purchasing an insurance policy. Remember that planning and knowledge are two tools to help you make the most of any insurance plan.

The first step is to carefully weigh your options and requirements to choose a plan that will suit you. For example, in several plans, you can make a one-time payment for a period of 5 months and avail of the 20% discount in the insurance premium right away.

Next, within this period, let's say you need to visit a doctor for a minor problem. You can go to approved doctors in the preferred provider network of the plan and avail of the discount that they provide. If there is no network provider in the area, the insurance company will help you by trying to get a negotiation with a doctor in your area.

You can also save money by choosing the right deductible for you. If you are confident that you might not be in any danger of a major illness during the period of the insurance and are prepared to pay higher amount of initial contribution, you can go for the lower premiums. This would mean, however, that you will have to pay higher initial amount if you do become sick or injured.


Short term health insurance is seen as covering all emergency hospitalizations and treatment. It is often a rude shock after the medical bill comes, to see that the short term insurance plan you purchase does not cover your expenses. You feel cheated and angry that you were not told about this before. Or did not pay attention to it.

All insurance plans carry detailed plans where every clause is clearly stated. However, most people have no patience to read the fine print. For example, if you go on a high-risk adventure sport (even motorcycle riding is considered high risk in most plans) without taking the special coverage required for this, you will not be eligible for medical expenses that might arise out of it.

Alcohol or drug dependency, dental or cosmetic surgery, learning disorders, conditions resulting from war, treatment for varicose veins, maternity and treatment for new-born babies before discharge, spinal manipulation or adjustment, and treatment of foot conditions are all usually excluded from coverage of short term health insurance.

It should be noted that each state and each policy might have a different set of treatments that are not covered and it makes sense to study them before buying the policy. There is always support available, so that you talk to a person from the insurance company before taking a decision.


Short term health insurance gives you many options for payment and planning so that you are able to decide and select the best plan for your situation. By being in control, you can ensure that you plan and get the best out of the policy that you are choosing.

Take this scenario: You have just got a new job, but have taken a month off for personal reasons before starting work there. After you join, there are several other formalities and it may take time to process health coverage for you. If all this works to around 4 months, say, you can pay one time and save yourself 20% on the short term health insurance premium.

Take another scenario: You have joined a new company, where you have to immediately leave to a different city for an unspecified time. You don’t know how long that will be and you might not be able to follow up with the office for you permanent insurance with the new job.

The ideal solution here would be to take a short term insurance plan such as Secure Saver and start paying by the month. When you get your employer-sponsored health insurance plan, you can immediately stop the payment.


The future of one of the biggest insurance subsidies in the U.S. for those out of jobs, the COBRA insurance subsidy, hangs in the balance. While short term health insurance is a viable alternative to COBRA, it is often not the first choice for people.

The current issue has to do with the fact that the subsidy for COBRA insurance, which makes it the first option that employers suggest, has not been renewed for terminations after February 28, 2010. COBRA carries nearly a two-thirds subsidy, which brings the costs of insurance down to affordable levels for many. However, short term health insurance rates are comparable to those of COBRA even after keeping in mind COBRA's subsidy.

While this is bad news for some, remember that temporary insurance offers many of the same benefits as COBRA insurance, and in some cases, offers more flexible options as well. The underwriting and eligibility requirements for short term health insurance, for instance, are not as stringent as those of COBRA insurance.

It remains to be seen whether the eligibility period for COBRA subsidy will be extended. Short term health insurance offers coverage throughout the United States, and covers most sudden medical conditions and injuries. Short term health insurance is also counted as comparable coverage when applying for a new group plan.


With the health care reform bill still not becoming law, one of the options for uninsured folk to remain insured is purchasing a short term health insurance plan. Short term health insurance plans are perfect for filling in insurance gaps, and typically cover sudden illnesses and accidents. One such plan is the Secure Saver short term health insurance plan offered by Health Plan Administrators.

One of the unique features of the plan is the existence of a daily deductible, instead of a plan or calendar year deductible. This means that for the duration of the plan, every day is assigned a deductible, and your medical expenses per day will not exceed that deductible.

The Secure Saver plan offers four deductibles: $250, $500, $750 and $1,000. So, if you need immediate medical assistance today, you will be responsible for $250, and 100% of the eligible charges that exceed that amount will be covered, subject to the co-pay. If you need medical assistance again a week from now, you will be responsible for $250 for that day as well.

In case your entire family is covered by the Secure Saver plan, the daily deductible for the family is satisfied when two members of the plan each satisfy their daily deductible. The benefits start kicking in after the deductible maximum is reached. The idea behind a daily deductible is to minimize risk for the insurance company, and pass on the benefits to the plan holders.

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