Until someone invents a crystal ball, you have no idea when illness or another health emergency may strike. That’s why it’s crucial to make sure you’re protected with affordable health insurance.
Best Short Term Health Insurance in Wisconsin:
- Best Overall in Wisconsin: Pivot Health
- Cheapest in Wisconsin: Everest
- Best for Variety: eHealthInsurance
- Best for Custom Plans: UnitedHealthcare
- Best for Meeting Consumer Needs: National General
Wisconsin Health Insurance Laws
The Affordable Care Act still technically mandates that you must carry health insurance but you won’t pay a penalty in Wisconsin if you’re not enrolled. Here are some other quick tips:
- Are you under age 26? If so, you’re still eligible to stay on a parent’s health care plan — even if you’re married, not living with that parent or not a Wisconsin resident. Once you turn 26, you have 60 days to find your own coverage. This counts as a special enrollment period so you can enroll outside the open enrollment period. If you have a hardship exemption and are under age 30, you may qualify for a catastrophic health insurance plan.
- Families and children may be eligible for free or low-cost health insurance. Look into BadgerCare Plus, also known as the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Individuals, families and children under 19 may receive free or low-cost health insurance. You must meet federal poverty levels to qualify for these services.
What is Short Term Health Insurance?
Short term health insurance lasts a limited amount of time — anywhere from a few months up to a year. It often acts as a bridge between life events, such as when you:
- Leave your employer and seeking new employment
- Find a new job and are waiting for your benefits to kick in
- Leave full-time employment and are waiting to begin graduate school
- Turn 65 and are waiting for Medicare to kick in
- Miss an open enrollment period and are waiting for another one to roll around
Buying short term health insurance in Wisconsin means you become ineligible for a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) plan. These guaranteed-issue individual plans typically target consumers with preexisting conditions, which are not covered under short term health care coverage.
Keep in mind that short term health insurance does not cover conditions either treated or diagnosed within 3 to 5 years.
Here are some terms and costs you’ll need to know as you decide whether short term health insurance is right for you.
- The premium is the monthly cost of maintaining health coverage.
- Your deductible, or out-of-pocket cost, is the amount you pay up to a point where your plan kicks in.
- The copay is the amount you pay when you visit a medical professional.
- Miscellaneous out-of-pocket costs may include vision, dental and maternity care because they’re not covered under short term care.
Before you commit to a particular plan, read the fine print so you understand the costs involved.
Who Needs Short Term Health Insurance?
Are you wondering how to get health insurance? Wisconsin short term health insurance coverage is not legally required to comply with ACA guidelines. You shouldn’t expect the same coverage you might receive from ACA-approved plans.
Short term health insurance does cover:
- Medical visits
- Emergency and urgent care
- Preventive care
- In some cases, prescriptions
Take time to weigh the pros and cons. You can:
- Choose among many different plans.
- Get up to a year of coverage.
- Cancel whenever you need to without penalty.
Watch out for the downsides, which can include:
- Limited coverage for most services
- Deductibles that tend to run higher than ACA-approved plans
- No coverage for preexisting conditions
- Plans that vary to a large degree due to lack of federal oversight
Unlike traditional plans, short term insurance is not offered through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
When Can You Enroll for Short Term Health Insurance?
Wisconsin specifically excludes short term plans from major medical coverage, so these plans do not fall under open enrollment periods. That’s a good thing if you want to enroll outside of these periods. It means you can enroll when you want and start your coverage as soon as the very next day.
This means that you don’t need to have a qualifying life event such as marriage or death of a family member to enroll. You can enroll in a plan at any time throughout the year. It usually involves a simple registration process, quick approval and access to affordable health care when you need it most.
Best Short Term Health Insurance Options in Wisconsin
Looking for the best of the bunch? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve collected a list of prime candidates for your short term health insurance needs.
- Comparing short term health plans
1. Best Overall: Pivot Health
Pivot Health's navigable and simple-to-understand website allows you to compare quotes from many different health insurance partners. Pivot often kicks off your health insurance plan as quickly as the following day. You can even connect with thousands of plans in less than 10 minutes.
The company also covers services including ambulatory patient care, emergency services, hospitalization, prevention and wellness, laboratory work and chronic disease management. Its affordable options and low premiums prove it’s true to its name. It’s the top choice for Wisconsin consumers.
- Anybody who needs temporary health insurance
2. Most Affordable: Everest
Concerned about your budget? Everest is a good choice for your short term health insurance needs.
The insurer offers a variety of plans ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 deductibles and 50% coinsurance.
Copays are also reasonable — options range between $30 and $50. You can choose between monthly and prepayment options.
- Comparing plans in your area
3. Best for Variety: eHealthInsurance
You can choose from more than 3,600 plans offered by approximately 16 carriers with eHealthInsurance. These include major insurers like National General, Companion Life, Everest and UnitedHealthcare.
eHealthInsurance also offers a 60% savings with a 1-year short term plan. You’ll find that the website is easy to navigate and addresses details in plain language.
No wonder eHealthInsurance is a long-term trusted resource.
- Same day coverage available
4. Best for Custom Plans: UnitedHealthcare
United Healthcare has offered short term health plans for the better part of 3 decades so we trust this insurer to customize plans to your individual needs. You can apply year-round and even get prescription benefits, unlike many other short term coverage plans.
What’s more, United Healthcare also offers TriTerm Medical Insurance with a 3-year short term health insurance plan underwritten by Golden Rule.
- Large network access and flexible plans
5. Best for Meeting Consumer Needs: National General
National General offers flexible deductibles on short term health insurance plans. You’ll enjoy the convenience of telemedicine as well as discounts on gym costs. You’ll get coinsurance flexibility, coverage period maximums and out-of-pocket maximums as well. You may be able to begin coverage as quickly as the day after you apply.
All you need to do is go through National General’s online portal to purchase a plan.
Get the Best Short Term Health Insurance in Wisconsin
Make sure to read all associated literature so you know which short term health insurance is right for your individual situation. Do some comparison shopping and careful research and check out the plans on our list.