Short-term health plans

What it is

Short-term, limited-duration insurance (STLDI) is temporary coverage sold outside the ACA's rules. Under the 2024 federal rule, new short-term policies are capped at 3 months, with a maximum 1-month renewal — they are gap insurance, not a plan you live on. (The current administration has signaled interest in loosening this rule; this page states the rule in force as of its review date. [VERIFY AT BUILD: STLDI rule status])

Who it fits

Someone with a genuinely short, known gap: between jobs with a start date on the calendar, or who missed open enrollment without a qualifying life event and needs catastrophic protection until January 1. That's roughly the whole honest list.

What it costs, in plain ranges

Often cheap-looking — $100–$300 a month for a healthy applicant — because the product carries less risk for the insurer, not more value for you.

The honest catch

This is the part most sellers soften, so we won't:

• It is not ACA-equivalent and not minimum essential coverage. Preexisting conditions are excluded and applications are medically underwritten — you can be declined.
• Plans typically don't cover prescriptions, maternity, or mental health, and many cap total payouts.
• A serious diagnosis during the term is a preexisting condition when the term ends — and short-term coverage ending does not count as a qualifying life event for a Marketplace special enrollment period.

How it compares

If you lost real coverage, you likely have a 60-day special enrollment period for a real Marketplace plan — check that first. If a subsidy applies, the Marketplace plan is frequently cheaper than the short-term plan and actually covers things.