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Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: sockfight on January 05, 2020, 07:31:43 PM

Title: Short-term health insurance advice for a coverage gap - recommended companies?
Post by: sockfight on January 05, 2020, 07:31:43 PM
My wife and I are Americans who have been living overseas, but we're moving back to the States (to Austin, TX) at the beginning of March. We currently have no US health insurance. We'll be turning up in Austin, looking for a place to live (rental), and hopefully will find a place and sign a lease without too much trouble.

We would be eligible for a Special Enrollment Period because of the move, but it seems that we can't enroll until we have actually established ourselves. A commonly requested document is something like a lease agreement. I'm not quite sure whether simply having an agreement signed is enough, or whether you have to actually get to the start date of the lease. Furthermore, once we apply for marketplace coverage, there's a delay until it actually starts.

All of which seems to mean there will be a period of 1-3 months before we can get an ACA health plan. We're generally healthy, but not comfortable going without coverage - can always get sick or injured. As far as I can figure out, our only option is a short-term plan to cover the gap. I'd love to hear advice on which companies are recommended and/or which to avoid. If anyone sees something wrong in what I've said above or has a different idea, I'd love to hear that too.

I've read that a lot of these short-term companies are quite 'scammy' and limit their payouts. I'm fine with a plan intended for 'when catastrophe strikes' but I also want to feel confident that if it does, the insurance won't be useless.

Thank you!

P.S. Is there anyone here using a short-term plan in lieu of an ACA plan as a money-saving move? I'd be curious if anyone is finding that a financially savvy move...