As of August 2019, short-term health insurance in Arizona can meet federal term limits with an initial term of up to 364 days and a total term of up to 36 months. Prior to the new law, short-term health insurance plans in Arizona could not exceed 185 days, and if the plan was renewable, the renewal period could not exceed 180 days.
Insurance companies may limit plans to short-term health insurance in Arizona. At least eight insurers in Arizona offer short-term health insurance.
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Arizona Short Term Health Insurance Rules 2022
Until the summer of 2019, short-term health insurance in Arizona was limited to a plan term of no more than 185 days, with renewals not exceeding 180 days if extended.
But Arizona enacted legislation (SB1109) in 2019 that aligns durational limits for short-term health insurance in Arizona with the Trump administration’s rules that took effect in 2018.
Under the new law, short-term plans in Arizona can have initial terms of up to 364 days and can be renewable for a total duration of up to 36 months.
SB1109 did not include a specific effective date, and the consumer guide that the Arizona Department of Insurance published only noted that the new rules would take effect in “the summer of 2019.”
But the Arizona Department of Insurance confirmed by email that the new rules would take effect August 27, 2019. SB1109 clarified that the state would update Arizona Revised Statutes Title 20, Chapter 6, Article 4, with a new section, 201384, which was added in late August.
By September 2019, there were some 364day plans available for sale in the state, although most of the insurance companies that offered short-term medical plans in Arizona were still selling healthcare plans with terms of up to six months.
Which insurers offer short-term plans in Arizona?
The market for short-term health insurance in Arizona is robust, and there are numerous insurance companies that provide short-term insurance plans:
- Aspen Insurance
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (in partnership with IHC)
- Companion Life
- Everest Reinsurance
- Golden Rule (United Healthcare)
- Independence American Insurance Company
- National General
- United Security Health and Casualty
Contact data for many of those insurers are listed within the Arizona Insurance Department’s guide to short plans. A number of these insurers supply plans with 364day terms, whereas others limit their terms to shorter periods of your time.
The coverage limitations and specific edges offered by every company can vary too. therefore it is vital to fastidiously compare the setup choices you are considering before creating a sale, and make certain you perceive the potential owed prices (including prices for any service that merely is not coated at all).
Who can get short-term health insurance in Arizona?
Short-term health insurance in Arizona is available for purchase by residents who meet the insurance company’s coverage requirements. This usually means that you are under 65 and are reasonably healthy.
Short-term insurance almost always includes a general exclusion for pre-existing conditions, so short-term insurance is not suitable for anyone in Grand Canyon State who needs medical attention for a current or pre-existing condition.
You don’t even need a short-term plan to cover ACA’s basic health benefits. The most commonly excluded benefits are maternity care, prescription drugs, and mental health care, but you’ll want to make sure you understand what’s covered — and not covered — by each plan you’re considering.
If you need health insurance in Arizona, your first step should be to see whether you’re eligible to enroll in an ACA-compliant health plan (i.e., an Obamacare plan) and whether you’ll qualify for premium subsidies (premium tax credits) to make that coverage more affordable.
Open enrollment for ACA compliant individual/family (nongroup) health plans runs from November 1 – December 15 in most states, and nearly anyone can enroll in coverage during that window.
Outside that window, there is a variety of qualifying life events that will trigger a special enrollment period and allow you to enroll in an ACA-compliant major medical plan, either through the Arizona exchange/marketplace or directly through an insurance company (Obamacare rules apply both on-exchange and off-exchange).
These policies are purchased on a month to month basis, therefore you’ll enter during a set up albeit you merely want coverage for a number of months before another policy takes impact — for instance if you will soon be listed in Medicare or a replacement employer’s set up and simply want coverage till that different policy is active.
FAQS – Arizona short term health insurance
Can I get health insurance for 3 months?
The length of policies varies from one month to 12 months, with the option to renew for 36 months in the Triterm Medical Plan. The duration varies depending on the coverage in the plan.
Can you continue to buy short-term health insurance?
California introduced a bill in 2018 (SB910) that prohibited the sale of short-term plans in the state by January 1, 2019.
Can you buy health insurance at any time?
Everyone has the opportunity to buy or change health insurance purchased during the open enrollment period, or during OEP. OEP is an annual event, and in most cases, it runs 24 hours a day, from November 24 to December 15, 7 days a week.
How long can you stay on short-term insurance?
Most short-term plans limit your coverage to a maximum of 12 months or less at a time. And most short-term health insurance companies will limit how many times you can consistently buy coverage.
Conclusion
Short-term health insurance in Arizona can be purchased by residents who can meet the underwriting guidelines of insurers. In general, this means being less than 65 years old and in fairly good health.
Short-term plans almost always include blanket exclusions for preexisting conditions, so short-term coverage is not adequate for someone in the Grand Canyon State who needs medical care for ongoing or preexisting conditions.
Short-term plans are also not required to cover the ACA’s essential health benefits. The most commonly excluded benefits are maternity care, prescription drugs, and mental health care, but you’ll want to make sure you understand what’s covered — and not covered — by each plan you’re considering.