Short-term plans

Short-Term Health Insurance, State by State

By Frank Caballero, licensed health insurance broker (NPN 21032307) · Updated November 2, 2026

Short-term plans are temporary coverage with few protections, and with federal enforcement relaxed, each state now sets most of the limits. Pick your state to see what is allowed there and what to use instead when you need more than a few weeks of coverage.

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The plans I offer are for people under 65.

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Common questions

How long can a short-term health plan last?

It depends on your state. A 2024 federal rule caps plans at about four months including renewals, but in August 2025 federal regulators said they would not prioritize enforcing it, so state law now decides most of the answer: some states allow plans of up to three years, others limit them sharply or have none for sale. Your state's page has the details.

Does a short-term plan cover pre-existing conditions?

Usually not. Short-term plans can ask health questions, decline applicants and exclude conditions you already have, and they do not have to cover the ACA's essential health benefits.

What should I use instead of a short-term plan?

If you lost job-based coverage, a Marketplace plan within the 60-day window. If you are healthy and need coverage for longer than a few months, a year-round medically underwritten private plan, which can start the first of a month if approved.

Private health insurance

Most people I help end up on a private plan, not a Marketplace plan. Private, medically underwritten health insurance is priced on your age, zip code and health instead of your income, so a strong year never raises your premium and there is no tax credit to pay back in April.

Why people leave the Marketplace

Premiums keep climbing. Marketplace premiums are rising again for 2027.
The subsidy cliff. Above 400 percent of the poverty level ($63,840 for one person, $132,000 for a family of four) you pay full price.
Surprise tax bills. Underestimate your income and you repay the tax credit in April.
Narrow networks. Many plans are local HMOs or EPOs that need referrals and cover little outside the area.
High out-of-pocket costs. 2027 out-of-pocket maximums reach $12,000 per person and $24,000 per family.
One window a year. Outside open enrollment you need a qualifying life event to enroll or switch.

What a private plan does differently

Start any month. If approved, coverage can begin the first of next month, with no wait for open enrollment.
Networks that travel. Many private plans use national PPO networks, which can give you in-network doctors outside your home state too. Networks vary by plan.
Can cost less than full-price Marketplace plans for some healthy applicants above the subsidy line.
Accident coverage the Marketplace does not offer. A private plan can be paired with accident coverage, a separate policy. What it includes varies by plan.
Approval is based on health. You answer health questions, and acceptance is not guaranteed.

With a significant health condition, or income low enough for a large tax credit, a Marketplace plan can be the better fit, and I will tell you if it is. Either way you see both side by side.

Private plans are not ACA Marketplace plans. Benefits, exclusions and pre-existing condition rules differ by plan and by state, so review the plan details before you enroll.

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Learn more: coverage not based on income · how underwriting works · private vs Obamacare · PPO plans for individuals · switching from the Marketplace