How much are you paying for health insurance? Some people are getting theirs for free or at a very discounted rate. If you reach a certain age or meet certain qualifications, then you can get a steal of a plan that covers you for many of your medical expenses but leaves you practically nothing to pay. Free health insurance in 2020 is definitely in demand, but not everyone can qualify for it. What many people settle for instead is a low cost plan that covers only a few items for them, such as a short term coverage plan.

Short term plans are definitely a hot topic as well in the health insurance industry. They offer a way for people to save money while still getting the coverage they need and only the coverage they need. That’s appealing for anyone who has suffered by paying too much for a major medical plan and been paying for coverage that is not relevant to them.

While you may not qualify for a free plan, you should know about short term plans that can be the next best thing to a free plan. We’re going to show you how you can sign up for one of these and how you can save money on them.

The Short Term Alternative

When most people think of medical insurance, they think of major medical plans that offer a full year of coverage and a wealth of benefits. These are standard plans, but they are not for everyone. What if you don’t qualify for a major medical plan? What if you are under 65 and you are not able to sign up for Medicare yet? What if you are between jobs and were used to getting coverage from your employer? You will need something to cover you for the interval between jobs. That’s true of people who are moving to a new state to live. They may not be covered by their current plan during that move. A short term plan can provide coverage for a very limited period of time and be a real help in a troubled time.

Short term plans should never be considered a permanent option. They are really just meant to cover you for a short period, and after that, you can switch to a plan that does a bit more for you and offers better stability. Short term plans are able to cover you for as little as a month at a time, and they can cover you up to almost a full year. The longest plans last for 364 days. You can also renew your plans and receive extended coverage this way. That can be helpful if the circumstances that drove you to seeking out a short term plan are being extended as well. For instance, if you are between jobs and it is taking time for the next job to start.

Short term plans are not free health insurance for 2020, but they are the next best thing. The kind of plan that you want may not be available to you because you simply don’t meet the requirements. That’s okay, because there are alternatives that you can consider and that can still save you money. You may still have to pay a monthly premium, but it could be cost effective to go with a short term plan instead of trying to pay for your medical expenses on your own.

What Short Term Plans Cover

With a short term plan, you can experience coverage for very specific medical expenses. These are not robust plans with comprehensive coverage like what you get with a major medical plan. Instead, they are small plans with very limited coverage that are only meant to provide temporary relief. So, if you need something to cover you for your dental visits for a few months, then a short term plan can do that. It will probably only cover dental costs and not vision or hearing checkups.

These short term plans are not required by the Affordable Care Act to cover your essential medical expenses, which means they are not a replacement for a major medical or standard medical plan. You can find ones that cover the essentials for your specific situation, though. For instance, you can pick a short term plan that covers you for emergency medical services or on that covers the cost of preventative care or urgently needed care. Whatever it is that you need coverage for during the next few months, there is probably a short term plan that fits the bill nicely.

How to Get a Short Term Plan

The nice thing about these plans is that there are few requirements that you need to fulfill in order to sign up for them. You don’t even have to wait for a specific enrollment period like you do with major medical plans. You can sign up for a short term plan anytime you want. You can also drop them pretty quickly and change to a different plan without much trouble. Since they are short term plans, you won’t have to wait long for your term to expire so you can be free to pick a different plan.

You will need to choose a company for you plan, and there are a ton of those out there. They charge different rates for these plans, and there are no set prices on the short term coverage plans. That means that you should be using a website like ours to compare the rates and source as many of them as you can. That will save you money and ensure that you have a good chance of getting a great deal.

Free health insurance for 2020 to cover your healthcare expenses would be a dream come true, but that isn’t always something that is available and open to you. So, you may need to go with a short term plan instead that helps you keep the costs low and provides suitable coverage for a limited time. Check out a selection of plans and rates here on our site to get started.