Aspen Health Insurance refers to Aspen’s short-term health insurance plans. These plans offer limited, temporary coverage that can be purchased at any time of year for any reason. There are 3 short-term plans to choose from. Each plan offers flexible payment methods as well as a few deductible and copayment amounts to choose from.
The short-term health insurance plans are available to be purchased from third-party websites. After purchase, the plans are serviced by a third-party company as well. While this may work for some people, others might not feel comfortable with the lack of personal service.
- Immediate coverage
- Availability outside of open enrollment period
- Affordable coverage in case of emergency
- Offers various copayment and deductible options
- Flexible payment methods
- Mental health and substance abuse coverage
- Not regulated by the Affordable Care Act (ACA)
- Sold and serviced by third-parties
Aspen Short Term Health Insurance Ratings at a Glance
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Are you looking for health insurance? You will have a lot of options and a little information goes a way to help you find the right insurance company. Benzinga conducted an Aspen Health Insurance review, and you will find the details below.
Aspen Health Insurance can be a good option for some people who need short-term health insurance, but there are some things you need to be aware of. First, since the plans are not regulated by the ACA, they are not required to offer the same essential benefits. Aspen’s short-term plans do include more coverage than some other short-term health insurance plans, but you should be aware of the difference.
The company doesn’t directly sell its own plans, which makes it difficult to get a quote and compare your health insurance options. Aspen also doesn’t service its own plans, so getting customer service can be a headache for some people since you have to go through third-party companies.
Aspen offers short-term health insurance — a type of insurance that can last anywhere from 1 month to 3 years. These plans are not regulated by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and can be purchased any time of year.
Short-term health insurance plans are not meant to provide permanent coverage. However, it can be a good option for people who are between jobs, recently graduated, waiting for employer benefits to kick in or simply don’t have adequate health insurance.
There are 3 plan options to choose from:
Plan 1:
- Deductible options of $1,000, $2,500, $5,000 or $7,500
- Coinsurance options of 70%, 80% or 100%
- Out-of-pocket maximum options of $2,000 or $5,000
- Coverage period maximum benefit options of $250,000, $750,000 or $1,000,000
Plan 2:
- Deductible options of $1,000, $2,500, $5,000 or $7,500
- Coinsurance options of 70%, 80% or 100%
- Out-of-pocket maximum options of $2,000 or $5,000
- Coverage period maximum benefit options of $100,000, $250,000, $750,000, $1,000,000 or $1,500,000
Plan 3:
- Deductible options of $1,000, $2,500, $5,000, $7,500 or $10,000
- Coinsurance options of 70%, 80% or 100%
- Out-of-pocket maximum options of $2,000, $5,000 or $10,000
- Coverage period maximum benefit options of $100,000, $250,000, $750,000, $1,000,000 or $1,500,000
- Additional deductibles for services including outpatient surgery, emergency room visits and advanced diagnostic studies
Aspen’s customer service is handled through Agile Health Insurance. The Agile website gives you access to a member portal where you can update payment information or request a refund during the “free-look period.” You can also print replacement ID cards from this portal.
Agile has a customer service line that you can contact regarding payment processing and other refund requests. You might also need to reach out to this phone line if you want to cancel your policy or to request a certificate of creditable coverage.
Generally speaking, short-term health insurance plans are usually more affordable than major medical plans that are regulated by the ACA. Some short-term health insurance plans are as little as $55 per month. But, like all health insurance, the pricing depends on factors such as your ZIP code, age, gender and health.
Aspen only gets 2 stars for pricing because it does not include information about its pricing on its website, nor does it make getting a quote easy. Even when I spoke with agents by phone, no one was able to provide me with a quote for an Aspen short-term health insurance plan. Without being able to get a quote, it’s impossible to compare Aspen’s short-term health insurance with other short-term health insurance providers.
Mobile App
There is no mobile app for Aspen Health Insurance.
The greatest benefit of Aspen Health Insurance is that you can purchase a short-term health insurance plan to cover any gaps in your traditional health insurance coverage. Some of the benefits of these plans include:
- $50 copayment for an annual routine physical
- $40 copayment for doctor’s office and urgent care visits.
- Access to the Private Healthcare System (PHCS) network of providers nationwide
- Option to pay in full or make monthly payments
Shopping for an Aspen short-term health insurance program is not an easy experience. If you’ve compared health insurance plans before, you’re probably familiar with the quote process. Usually, you enter some information and within a few minutes, you have personalized plan options in front of you. Unfortunately, the process isn’t quite as smooth in this case.
When you’re on the website reviewing Aspen’s plan information, you’ll see a button prompting you to “start your free quote.” This brings you to a third-party website where you can get quotes from selected partners, and not from Aspen directly. I went through the process a few times, and was never able to get information about an Aspen short-term health insurance plan.
Aspen Health Insurance vs. Competitors
Aspen’s short-term health insurance plans make it stand out amongst competitors due to the nature of short-term health insurance plans. The plans tend to be more affordable than the ACA-regulated plans that are sold through the marketplace. Its plans are also available any time and not subject to an open enrollment period.
The short-term plans from Aspen also stand out because they offer coverage for mental health and substance abuse services. The coverage is minimal, especially compared to ACA-compliant plans, but it is a benefit that most short-term health insurance plans do not include.
- Best For:No enrollment period health insurancesecurely through Sidecar Health Access Plan's website
Plans referred to above are excepted benefit fixed indemnity insurance products marketed and administered by Sidecar Health Insurance Solutions, LLC and underwritten by Sirius America Insurance Company or United States Fire Insurance Company, depending on the state. As an excepted benefit plan, it does not provide comprehensive/major medical expenses coverage, minimum essential coverage, or essential health benefits. You cannot receive a subsidy (premium tax credit and/or cost-sharing reduction) under the ACA in connection with your purchase of such an excepted benefit fixed indemnity insurance plan. Also, the termination or loss of this policy does not entitle you to a special enrollment period to purchase a health benefit plan that qualifies as minimum essential coverage outside of an open enrollment period. Coverage and plan options may vary or may not be available in all states.
Get Started with Aspen Health Insurance
If you’re curious about short-term health insurance plans, you can get a quote from Aspen and other insurance providers. These quotes are free and most are easy to obtain. After you’ve compared quotes and chosen your plan, you can officially apply for coverage to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is short-term health insurance worth it?
Short-term health insurance isn’t for everyone, but that doesn’t mean it can’t benefit some people. For people who are generally healthy and don’t need health services often, it can provide some peace of mind at a lower cost. It can also be worthwhile for people who want some form of coverage but are not eligible to apply for an ACA-compliant plan outside of the open enrollment period.
When can I purchase a short-term health insurance plan?
You don’t need to wait for the Open Enrollment period to purchase a short-term health insurance plan. Instead, you can purchase a short-term plan from a private health insurance company at any time of the year.
How long does short-term insurance last?
Short-term insurance lasts for a maximum of 12 months or less.
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About Ashley Hart
Ashley Hart is a personal finance writer passionate about helping people feel empowered to take control of their finances. She has more than eight years of writing experience, focused on insurance.