Short Term Insurance
Short
Term Medical is a temporary health plan
designed for people who are between permanent health
plans. Coverage can be purchased for as few as 30
days or as many as 185 days (varies by state.)
Link direct to the Secure
Site Get Rates and
.
That is
the quickest way
for you to obtain coverage.
Students: Link direct to
the Secure Site and apply for
Student Select
If you would like to
complete paper application you will need to complete
a form and we will mail your the information.
Click here
Eligibility Requirements: Healthy
individuals between the ages of 15 days and age 64
and 11 months, who have a temporary insurance need.
Dependent children through age 20 (age 24 if
full-time student) may be covered as dependents on
parents' plan.
Foreign residents
living in the U.S. for at least one year with proof
of Alien Registration Receipt Card, Green Card, Visa
or other appropriate documentation.
Who is not
eligible: Persons who have not been in the
country for twelve months.
Persons who would be declined for an Individual
Medical policy.
Persons who will turn 65 or become eligible for
Medicare during the benefit period.
Persons who are pregnant.
Persons seeking coverage while traveling outside of
the U.S.
Persons engaging in hazardous activities, sports or
occupations.
Persons previously declined by another carrier.
How the
Plan Works: Short Term Medical is simple,
flexible and affordable. You choose the plan that
best meets your needs and budget by selecting from
the features below. Best of all, you can obtain
coverage as early as the next day!
Length of
Coverage Options: 30-185 days:
Choice of
Deductibles: $250, $500, $1000, $2500:
No HMOs or
PPOs: Since Short Term Medical is not an
HMO or PPO plan, you can visit the doctor or
hospital of your choice. No referrals are needed, no
out-of-network penalties are incurred - the choice
is yours!
Payment
Options: With Short Term Medical, you
choose the payment option that's best for your
temporary need. Single Payment - Ideal if you know
the exact length of time coverage is needed. The
minimum number of days you can purchase is 30 and
the maximum is 185 days. Monthly Payment - Ideal if
you are unsure how long you need coverage. This "pay
as you go" option lets you continue coverage for as
long as needed (up to 185 days) or stop payments and
discontinue the plan whenever you want. You make an
initial premium payment for 35, 60, or 95 days.
If
you choose your plan from us through Fortis Health
and you pay your initial payment by check:
- you will receive a sheet of payment coupons via
the U.S. Postal Service for all subsequent payments.
Each month, mail your check along with the coupon to
Fortis Health. Each coupon pays for an additional
30 days of coverage. Note: No lapse notices
are sent.
Automatic
credit card debit: each month, your
subsequent premium payments will be automatically
debited from the credit card information provided
with your initial payment. Your card will be debited
each month until you have reached a total of six
months of coverage. If your temporary need ends
prior to the sixth month, simply call 1-800-800-5453
and Fortis will stop the automatic credit card
debit. (Please note: 7 days advanced notice
is required to ensure future credit card charges are
stopped.)
Considerations when Choosing Short Term Medical:
Short Term Medical covers a person for a limited
period. If you think you'll need coverage for more
than six months, you may want to look at a more
permanent health insurance option.
Short Term
Medical does not cover pre-existing conditions:
It is designed to protect against the unforeseen. If
pre-existing conditions were covered under Short
Term Medical policies, people could just wait until
they were diagnosed with an illness or suffered an
injury, buy a policy to cover the treatment, then
drop it. The cost of such policies would be
prohibitive. Because Short Term Medical is designed
to cover the unexpected, it also does not include
coverage for preventive care, physicals,
immunizations, dental or eye care.
Obtaining
an Additional Short Term Medical Policy:
Short Term Medical is non-renewable. However, if
your temporary need continues, you may apply for a
new policy if: 1) no claims were incurred under a
previous policy, 2) there has been no significant
change in health. A new application must be
completed. Should the new application be approved, a
new plan will be issued. There is no continuous
coverage between the original and the additional
plan.
The
definition of a pre-existing condition varies by
state, but in general, Short Term Medical
excludes conditions that have been diagnosed or
treated within the previous 5 years. If you have an
existing medical condition, you may want to see if
extending your current insurance to fill a gap in
coverage is an option. Employer-sponsored insurance
can be extended under a government-regulated option
called COBRA. |