• Short Term Health Insurance Blog

  • Saturday, February 04, 2012



The short term health insurance plans from Health Plan Administrators Inc. (HPA) have been designed to provide workable solutions to people who need medical care for short periods in their lives. The plans from HPA are unique in several ways.

Insurance plans, especially the short term ones are taken in a hurry and there is neither the time nor the inclination to go to great lengths to enquire extensively into the security, and research about claim settlements. In such cases, it is best to go with a company with a proven record and good reputation.

HPA has a record of providing customer-tailored insurance plans for over 70 years. HPA plans have good ratings for customer service, customer sensitivity, and customer needs. The knowledge and experience of years have made it a company that caters to discerning customers.

Adopting latest technology, including state-of-the-art computer support systems and reporting abilities make the response time to your queries one of the fastest. A wide network of agents distributors help you all along the way. The state mandated requirements are also met rigorously or even exceeded in many cases by HPA in all categories including financial security, surety bonds, insurance coverage and licensing.


There are times when you have to count every cent and make it last, especially when you have to plan for all expenses in life. You realize that an illness is just not affordable when you are out of a job and looking for one. Short term health insurance with the right plan may be just what the doctor ordered.

Insurance plans are expensive and you need to plan ahead for such expenses. If you are passing through a phase when you have to plan for essential expenses first, it makes sense to buy an insurance that will be cheaper than more expensive permanent health insurance plans.

You may also not require some of the features in the permanent health insurance plans during the short time that you need to plan. This would particularly apply if you are in the process of looking for a job.

Short term health insurance plans can be up to 30 percent cheaper than COBRA plans and will cover essential illnesses and emergency situations for a maximum of 12 months. This would give you time enough to plan


A short term medical plan (or an STM plan) is short term health insurance that gives you benefits and extras that can make the insurance actually save you money equivalent to what you might have paid for it, simply through discounts and other add-on benefits. This is done by allowing you to access the wide network of PPOs that will give you discounts on treatment and prescription drugs.

There are two national Preferred Provider Networks (PPNs)—the ACS and the Multiplan—that you can get access to once you buy an STM plan. The network providers provide their services at negotiated fees and the discounts are passed on to the customer.

The discount that is provided through the network means less money out of your pocket. Your final bill will reflect the discount and you don’t owe the network providers the difference in their retail rates and the negotiated fees.

The coinsurance that you will pay is based on the negotiated fees and you will still have to pay the deductible and your contribution. Taking the help of a network provider is completely voluntary. However, if you cannot find a network provider in your area, arrangements can be made to negotiate a fee with the health provider you use.


A feeling of complete security is hard to achieve. But there is a smart way to feel safe when your health is considered, by buying a short term health insurance plan that can be tailored to your needs.

You can buy an STM (Short Term Medical) plan in four easy steps. First, determine whom you need to cover, whether it is just yourself, or whether the plan will include your spouse and children. Also choose the period of the plan—a month, six months, or do you not know the plan period?

In the second step, check out your eligibility in terms of age (usually not older than 64 years and 11 months). This is true for you and any dependents you want to insure. Also check whether you have any pre-existing medical condition. An existing medical condition is generally not covered under temporary insurance.

Third, decide on the deductible. Do you need a higher deductible, which will mean higher premiums, or a lower deductible, which will mean less premium, but less out of your pocket if you fall ill? Finally, depending on the deductible that you decide and your age, calculate your premium and complete the enrollment plan for buying the insurance plan.


When you purchase short term health insurance, you not just get the benefits of health cover, but also some supplementary benefits that help you save money. Most temporary insurance plans offer such benefits, and one such plan is the Secure 12x3 STM temporary medical insurance plan.

Two of the savings that the plan offers are LabOne Select and the Rx Drug Card. Lab One Select offers savings (up to 40%) on laboratory tests, and can simply be availed by having the tests performed at LabOne.

In addition, the Rx Drug Card offers discounts on prescription drugs. It is very easy to avail of this benefit, because the headache of using claim forms does not exist. There are no deductibles or conditions on pre-existing conditions, simply because this is not an insurance benefit.

In addition to these, Secure 12x3 also offers discounts for members of Communicating for America (CA) Healthy Lifestyle Enhancement Series on purchase of vitamins, natural supplements, chiropractic services, prescription drugs, vision eyewear, and dental services. All these benefits are generic benefits, and not a part of the Secure 12x3 STM insurance plan.


When you look for short term health insurance after employer-sponsored coverage, the one thing that you will notice is the choice you have in the plans available. Even within a single temporary insurance plan, there are many choices available, so that you can completely customize your plan.

For example, in the Assurant Health Short Term Medical plan, the combination of the deductible, plan period, and coinsurance decide how much you are covered for, and how much you end up paying as premium.

Choosing a higher deductible will decrease your premium, and will reduce the costs of insurance. However, remember that if you do fall sick, you will end up paying a lot more out of your pocket. It is, however, a great idea for the young and healthy who do not want short term coverage for more than six months.

While the Assurant plan offers a constant 80% coinsurance option, many short term insurance plans offer a choice in the coinsurance payable. The coinsurance is the portion of a predetermined amount that the plan holder will pay before the plan pays out 100% of the benefits. Paying for the short term insurance monthly will increase the premium by a bit, but if you are unsure about when you will get off temporary insurance, it is the option to choose.

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