Short Term Health Insurance In Houston Texas

Due to recent health insurance legislation changes, short term health insurance is proving to be a pretty attractive option for those who are looking for immediate solutions for health care coverage in Houston.  So far, 2024 has been a year in which a lot of U.S. families are discovering that traditional health insurance is simply not an option.  For most, the reason is affordability.  A short term plan has the capability to suit a family's health insurance needs while being more reasonably priced.  Also, short term health insurance plans are not so "short" anymore.  In Houston Texas, you can purchase a short term health insurance plan, and keep it for at least a year, perhaps as long as three years.  Use the link above to run an instant quote to see rates and term lengths for where you live.

Good to know:  Ask for a discount.  You can potentially reduce the cost of your medical bills by asking for a discount upfront.  It may seem unconventional, but many hospitals and practitioners offer certain discounts for which you may be eligible.  For example, some hospitals are part of networks that will reduce your medical bills by a certain percentage if you pay over the phone.  More often than not, these discounts are only available to consumers who ask for them.  Depending on your economic status or the price of your procedure, some medical facilities offer additional discounts that can be paired with your medical insurance to substantially reduce the cost of your procedure.  For example, it's not uncommon for hospitals to offer discounts of up to thirty percent for qualifying customers.

Even if you don't find a discount related to your particular situation, your doctor or hospital may provide you with valuable information about discounts you can use in the future.

What is Short Term Health Insurance?
The first thing to do is define short term health insurance.  There are two parts to this: What short term insurance was, and what short term insurance is today.

Initially, short term health insurance was designed just for short term situations.  As the name implies, it was a health insurance plan with a short term duration, which ranged from several months to a year.  This type of insurance was for individuals who needed temporary medical insurance or could not afford traditional health insurance.  It was used mostly by employees who frequently changed jobs, employees waiting for their group health insurance plan to kick in, students going out of state to college, or young adults searching for their own insurance because they were no longer covered under their parent's plan.
Insurance coverage was strictly for hospitalization.  Doctor visit benefits, preventative services, or prescription drug benefits, were unheard of.

Things have changed.  Some short term health insurance plans now offer doctor visit copay benefits, preventative services, prescription drug benefits, and more.  There are now short term plans that can be held for up to three years before a new application is needed.  The benefit structure is starting to look a lot like traditional health insurance plans.

The Houston Texas community has noticed.  Short-term health insurance is becoming an ideal health insurance solution for a growing number of Texas families.

Short term health insurance is not for every circumstance.  It lacks several of the guaranteed benefits that are part of the Affordable Care Act portfolio of plans.  However, There are several notable advantages.

Advantages

• Far Cheaper for Healthier Individuals

Compared with standard ACA plans, which can run even healthy individuals around $400-plus dollars every month, short-term health insurance plans average less than $100 a month, with some options being as low as $70-$80.
Of course, the amount of coverage offered depends on the price. You obviously won’t get the same amount of coverage with even a more-expensive $100 plan as you would with an ACA option. This is why short-term health insurance plans are being increasingly sought by healthier individuals who don’t require all the coverage mandated by the ACA.
For individuals, especially, short-term health insurance plans offer a nice way out of one-size-fits-all healthcare packages with exorbitant premiums. It’s recommended that you look at each plan in detail to make sure you are getting the coverage you need for your individual situation.

• Renewable

Under the law, these short-term health insurance plans are now renewable.  Individuals seeking a refuge from high ACA premiums can do so for two-to-three years under current policy. Though this ultimately does not satisfy long-term demand, it provides a medium-range option that may prove more viable than traditional ACA plans for individuals or families who don’t qualify for government subsidies.
Most companies will allow individuals to renew existing plans without changes.  This means customers can enjoy up to three years of medical insurance with the plans they choose.

• No Open Enrollment

Unlike traditional insurance plans, short-term insurance plans require no open enrollment.  Those seeking these plans simply need to sign up and be approved to gain nearly instant access to medical coverage.  Typically, short-term insurance plans begin coverage within one to fourteen days of being approved, whereas ACA plans can take between two and six weeks to go into effect.
Despite there being no set window period for enrollment, many short-term insurance companies opt to take part in open enrollment periods, if only to create awareness for their plans.  If you plan on participating in this year’s open enrollment, pay attention for these companies and see if their alternative plans are right for you. If you don’t wish to wait, however, keep in mind that short-term insurance is offered year long, so you never have to worry about missing an open enrollment period.

Good to know:  If there is a deadline associated with your health insurance purchase, be sure you know exactly when it is.  Make specific note of the timeline for enrollment, and give yourself plenty of time to research your plan choices before the deadline arrives.  Let's face it.  It's easy to put off a purchase such as health insurance - largely because there is no immediate impact if you delay.  So, commit to finishing the task early.  You don't want to be scrambling for answers at the last minute.

How will I know if short term health insurance is the solution I'm looking for?
Figuring out if short-term health insurance is right for you depends on certain factors.  These are some of the common factors why many choose to carry short-term insurance.

• Affordability.  Traditional Health insurance options can be very costly for the kind of coverage a family may need.  A short term health insurance plan might be a more affordable solution.
• Employment Gap.  If you receive health insurance through your employer and are between plans or jobs, short-term health insurance can help cover you and your family.
• Network.  Short-term insurance may help expand your options, if you live in an area with few healthcare providers.
• Near immediate coverage.  In most cases, you can qualify and be covered by a short term health insurance plan within 24 hours.

Speaking with a true health insurance specialist will be the best way to sum up all the information you acquired and turn it into a smart health plan choice.  When it comes to choosing the right health care plan, knowledge and expertise are the most important factors.

Other articles:
Explaining The Growth of Healthcare Sharing Healthplans
More Resources