Short-Term Medical Insurance
Short-term medical insurance is not available nationwide. It is, however, available in Connecticut, but on very limited terms. Health insurance coverage that lasts less than twelve consecutive months is Short-term medical insurance. Individuals can extend and renew for up to thirty-six months. Connecticut is also one of the few states in which it is illegal to deny a person coverage due to a preexisting condition. Unfortunately, no insurance carriers offer such terms for short-term coverage. Therefore, individuals obtain short-term medical insurance three main ways in this state.
Affordable Care Act Plans (ACA)
Through what is known as Obamacare, people can sign up for a health insurance plan using Connecticut’s Health Insurance Marketplace (AccessHealthCT). The carriers that offer plans through this marketplace are Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and Connecticare Benefits, Inc. There are five levels of coverage. Four are named after metals: bronze, silver, gold, platinum, and then catastrophic coverage. Each level covers a different percentage of essential health services.
Generally speaking, bronze will cover 60%, silver will cover 70%, gold will cover 80%, and platinum 90%. Catastrophic coverage has a low monthly premium but offers the lowest amount of coverage. Tax credits based on income are applied to the health insurance plan premium to help cover the cost, and there is special enrollment, which means that major life events qualify residents for enrolling outside of the normal enrollment period. Some qualifying events are a marriage or divorce, birthing or adopting a child, and job change.
COBRA
COBRA stands for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. This act offers coverage to those who leave a job with employer-offered coverage. Individuals no longer employed buy that plan. That being said, the premiums are likely to go up considerably because the employer is no longer subsidizing them. Former employees are only disqualified from COBRA if they are fired for something egregious, or gross misconduct. The former employer must be notified if the former employee wants to use COBRA to continue in their health insurance plan and that plan can be extended for up to thirty-six months from the job change or termination.
Medicaid – Short-Term Medical Insurance
Medicaid is a state program that is available to pay for health insurance for residents who cannot pay for it themselves. There are a variety of reasons that someone would qualify for Medicaid.
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Adults ages 19-64 who are low-income and not eligible for Medicare
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Pregnant women and infants
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Children up to age 18
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Parents and caretaker relatives
Applicants can apply through their Department of Social Services or through AccessHealthCT.
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