What is a short-term health plan?
A short-term plan (the legal name is "short-term, limited-duration insurance") is a medical policy with an end date. It was designed to be a bridge, not a long-term plan.
Federal rules adopted in 2024 limit new short-term plans to 3 months, and 4 months in total with renewals. In August 2025 the federal agencies said they won't focus on enforcing those limits while they plan a new rule. States can still set their own rules. Some states ban short-term plans. Others set shorter limits. How long a plan can last depends on your state and the insurance company.
When a short-term plan can be the right choice
A short-term plan can make sense if all of these are true for you:
- You're healthy, with no ongoing conditions or regular prescriptions.
- You need coverage for a short, known period.
- You can't get an ACA plan right now, or an ACA plan wouldn't help you much.
Real-life examples:
- You're between jobs and outside Open Enrollment, with no Special Enrollment Period. Maybe you quit voluntarily and didn't lose coverage, so you don't qualify to enroll in an ACA plan until Open Enrollment.
- You're waiting for job-based coverage to start. Your new employer's plan begins in 60 days, and you want something for the wait.
- You missed Open Enrollment and need something until the next one.
- You don't qualify for ACA savings, you're healthy, and you understand the limits. A short-term plan may cost less than a full-price ACA plan for a short time.
When an ACA plan is the better fit
Choose an ACA plan instead if any of these apply:
- You have a health condition, past or present (for example diabetes, asthma, cancer, heart disease, depression). A short-term plan may decline you or exclude that care.
- You're pregnant or planning to be. Short-term plans often don't cover maternity care.
- You take prescriptions regularly. Many short-term plans cover few or no prescription drugs.
- You may qualify for premium tax credits. Many people pay less for an ACA plan after savings than for a short-term plan. Short-term plans never get subsidies.
- You have a Special Enrollment Period (for example, you lost job-based coverage, moved, married, or had a baby), or it's Open Enrollment. You can get an ACA plan now.
- You need minimum essential coverage, for example for a state coverage requirement.
If you have an ACA plan now: don't drop it for a short-term plan without talking to an agent. You'll lose your premium tax credit. When a short-term plan ends, that usually does not give you a Special Enrollment Period, so you may have to wait for Open Enrollment to get an ACA plan again.
What a short-term plan may cover
Each plan is different. Many short-term plans help pay for some of these, after a deductible and coinsurance, up to a maximum:
- Doctor visits for a new illness or injury
- Emergency room care
- Hospital stays and surgery
- Lab tests and X-rays
You choose from the deductible and maximum options the company offers. Read the plan's benefit summary for what it pays.
What it doesn't cover
- Pre-existing conditions. Most plans won't pay for care related to a condition you had, or were treated for, before the plan started. Many look back several years. Some review your medical records after you file a claim and can deny the claim or cancel the policy if they find something you didn't disclose.
- Essential health benefits it isn't required to include, such as maternity care, mental health and substance use care, prescriptions, and preventive care.
- Costs above the plan's limits. Short-term plans can cap what they pay. There may be no cap on what you pay.
Short-term plans aren't required to follow the federal surprise-billing protections that apply to ACA plans.
How it compares to an ACA plan
| Short-term plan | ACA plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Can turn you down for health reasons | Yes | No |
| Covers pre-existing conditions | Usually not | Yes |
| Covers all 10 essential health benefits | No | Yes |
| Yearly out-of-pocket limit | Not required | Yes ($12,000 for one person in 2027, or less) |
| Premium tax credits | No | Yes, if you qualify |
| When you can enroll | Any time, if approved | Open Enrollment or a Special Enrollment Period |
| Counts as minimum essential coverage | No | Yes |
Costs and how it's priced
Short-term premiums are based on your age, where you live, the deductible and maximum you choose, and often your health answers. Premiums aren't the full picture. Look at the deductible, coinsurance and benefit maximum too. An agent can show you real quotes for your ZIP code and compare them with your ACA price after any savings.
How to enroll with a licensed agent
1. Call or request a call. Tell us your dates, your state, and any health conditions. Your answers help us tell you honestly whether a short-term plan is a good idea. 2. Check your ACA options first. We'll see if you have a Special Enrollment Period or could get savings on an ACA plan. 3. Compare. If a short-term plan fits, we'll show you plans from the insurance companies we represent sold in your state. 4. Apply. You'll answer health questions on the application. Answer them fully and truthfully. The insurance company decides whether to approve you. 5. Read your policy. Check the start and end dates, exclusions and the cancellation terms.
Frequently asked questions
Is a short-term plan the same as Obamacare?
No. It isn't an ACA plan. It doesn't have to cover pre-existing conditions or essential health benefits, and you can't use a premium tax credit on it.
How long does a short-term plan last?
It depends on your state and the insurance company. Federal rules from 2024 set 3 months, and 4 months total with renewals. Federal enforcement is paused, and some states set their own limits or don't allow these plans.
Can I be turned down?
Yes. Short-term plans ask health questions and can decline you or exclude conditions.
If my short-term plan ends, can I get an ACA plan right away?
Usually not. A short-term plan ending usually doesn't open a Special Enrollment Period. You may need to wait for Open Enrollment, unless you have another qualifying event.
Can I keep my subsidy if I switch to a short-term plan?
No. Premium tax credits only apply to Marketplace health plans.
Is it sold in my state?
Not every state allows short-term plans. We currently offer them in: the states where we’re licensed and the plan is sold (ask a licensed agent).
Important information
This policy has exclusions, limitations, and terms under which the policy may be continued in force or discontinued. It may not cover pre-existing conditions. It is not renewable beyond the period allowed by federal and state law. It is not comprehensive health coverage and does not count as minimum essential coverage. For costs and complete details of the coverage, call a licensed insurance agent at 1-877-861-3558.
Offered by First Health Solution, LLC d/b/a Health Enrollment, a licensed insurance agency (NPN 17718619). Insurance is underwritten by the insurance companies we represent. Not a government agency. Not available in all states.
Last reviewed October 2026. Not available in all states. This page is general information; see the policy for complete terms.