Temporary Major Medical Insurance

Temporary Health Insurance - What situations give rise to a need for temporary health insurance?
Several commonly occurring situations create a possible need for temporary health insurance. Individuals who are between jobs and are temporarily without an employer-sponsored health insurance plan, individuals laid-off from their jobs, individuals gaining new employment who must satisfy a waiting period before being eligible to receive group health insurance benefits (i.e. 90 day waiting period), and individuals who have declined COBRA continuation of health coverage and are looking for a more affordable COBRA alternative health insurance plan.

What is temporary health Insurance?
Temporary health insurance is commonly referred to as short-term major medical insurance by insurance companies and state regulating offices, and are major medical health insurance plans offered to individuals and members of the their families on a temporary basis. Temporary health insurance plans or short-term major medical insurance are very convenient in that they allow individuals to purchase coverage from any pre-selected number of days from a minimum of 30 days to a maximum of 365 days per coverage period, with some plans allowing unlimited re-applies, and other plans allowing for three consecutive coverage periods allowing coverage up to 36 months or 3 years of coverage.

What medical expenses are typically covered by temporary health insurance?
Temporary health insurance plans offer coverage for a broad range of medical services and medical expenses. Although temporary health insurance coverage may differ from plan to plan or from one insurance company to another, temporary health insurance will typically offer coverage for physician services, surgery, outpatient and inpatient care. After satisfying the deductible amount that has been selected by the insured, the temporary health insurance plan will pay the co-insurance the insured selected for covered expenses, up to the plans lifetime maximum per insured person per coverage period. Benefits are limited to the usual, reasonable and customary charge for a covered expense in addition to any specific limits.

•Doctor Office Visit
•Physician Services
•Prescription Drug Card
•In-Hospital regular care charges
•In-Hospital Intensive or Critical Care charges
•Outpatient Hospital Surgery & Ambulatory Surgical Center charges
•Out-Patient Emergency Room
•In-Hospital Doctors visits
•Surgeon and Anesthesiologist
•Assistant Surgeon Services
•Out-Patient or Doctors Office miscellaneous charges
•Ambulance Services
•Organ Transplants
•Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
•Mammography
•Pap Smear and Screens (Includes PSA)
•X-Ray Exams, Laboratory
•X-Ray and Radioactive
•Blood
•Organ Transplants

Are temporary health insurance plans a more affordable COBRA alternative?
Many individuals have the option of continuing their health benefits provided by their group health plan through the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, more commonly known as COBRA. COBRA is available when health benefits are lost under certain circumstances, such as voluntary or involuntary job loss, reduction in the number of hours worked, transition between jobs, death, divorce, and other life events. Individuals who qualify for COBRA continuation of health insurance may be required to pay the entire premium for coverage up to 102 percent of the cost of the plan. When faced with the unexpected high cost associated with COBRA, most individuals find themselves not able to financially manage the cost of the entire premium, therefore a very large group of individuals (approximately 93% who qualify) are forced to walk away without any type of health insurance coverage.

Temporary health insurance plans are very popular among individuals and families who decline COBRA - When forced to look for a more affordable COBRA health insurance alternative plan, many individuals find temporary health insurance plans to be a perfect solution. A large number of individuals prefer temporary health insurance plans because they offer the same convenient features like that of traditional major medical plans but offer more flexibility - with choice of deductibles, co-insurance, and length of coverage period - temporary health insurance plans typically offer major medical coverage from 30 days up to a maximum of 365 days, with plan options that allow the insured to re-apply for a maximum of three consecutive coverage periods offering a total of 36 months or 3 years of health insurance coverage, and plan options that include unlimited re-applies of non-continuous coverage periods.

Do temporary health insurance plans cover pre-existing conditions?
Like most health insurance policies, temporary health insurance plans do not cover pre-existing conditions. The pre-existing conditions limitation includes conditions that were treated or produced symptoms within five years prior to effective date of your temporary health insurance plan. However, some temporary health insurance plans like VIPER's Secure 12 x 3 short-term medical insurance gives the insured the opportunity to submit a simplified application form and re-apply within 30 days prior to the termination date of coverage, if the application is approved in underwriting, a new Coverage Period will be issued and the effective date will be the first day following the termination date of insured's coverage period. The insured will then receive a new certificate of insurance and new deductibles and co-insurance will apply. However, the pre-existing conditions limitations will not apply to any condition(s) that were covered during a prior prior coverage period. Any other pre-existing conditions will remain subject to the pre-existing conditions limitation as described in the certificate of insurance.

Do college graduates and college students have a need for temporary health insurance?
Many college graduates and college students may no longer be covered under their parents health insurance plan, or may temporarily lose health insurance coverage under their parents plan because of a decrease in college credit hours or classification from full-time student to part-time student.

Is a temporary health insurance plan considered "creditable coverage" under HIPAA?
Under HIPAA, temporary health insurance plans like short-term major medical insurance coverage is generally considered creditable coverage to help satisfy any pre-existing condition period.

Note: All health insurance plans, health insurance coverage, and affordable COBRA alternatives offered through VIPER Health Insurance are generally considered "creditable coverage" under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)