Medical coverage is usually dependent on your job, family or residence. Because of this, having health insurance during a life change can be difficult if you don’t know where to look. Those gaps in your life when you’re without standard health coverage is where short-term medical coverage comes in. In the state of Oregon, short-term medical coverage is designed to fill that gap in case of a medical emergency.
Most people receive health insurance through their employer. However, what happens when they start a new job or relocate? Short-term health coverage fills in the gap while you transition from one job to another. A lot of employers have mandatory waiting periods before full benefits kick in. So, instead of going without any sort of medical insurance, you can grab short-term health coverage to make sure that if something does happen, you’re covered even if it’s not a traditional plan. Some businesses do offer short-term coverage to their employees during the time they aren’t benefit-eligible. Depending on the plan, short-term medical coverage in Oregon can last from 6 to 11 months.
Short-term coverage isn’t relegated to just employers, though. Individuals can seek out coverage for a variety of situations. If a student, for example, has just graduated college and is no longer covered by their student plan, they are eligible for short-term medical coverage to make sure they’re covered. Likewise, if a 26-year-old has “aged out” of being on their parent’s medical coverage, they can seek short-term medical insurance while waiting for either the marketplace or their employer to provide new coverage options. Anyone who missed the ACA’s Open Enrollment period to sign up for insurance through the Marketplace can seek out this alternative as well.
It’s important to note preventative care is not usually included. Short-term coverage is by no means meant to be a replacement for standard health insurance and should not be used as such. There is a penalty levied if the short-term plan is being used as a health coverage plan instead of a stop-gap. Whether you’re an employer or an individual, you should track when you or your employees are eligible to sign up for long-term insurance again. Short-term medical coverage is a great insurance option to cover for emergencies when standard coverage is not available.
Experienced insurance agents can help find the best health insurance plan, whether short-term or standard, for you and your unique situation. Call us today to get started.
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