Anthem Short Term Health Insurance

If you’re in need of short term health insurance, Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield now offers these policies in many areas of the country.

Our clients prefer shorter duration health plans for many reasons. Cost, network availability, benefits and flexibility are a few of the main factors. We discuss what you can expect from Anthem’s short term policies below.

In most States, coverage can be purchased to cover up to 364 days at a time. You can later apply for another 364 day term if you wish. All policies are medically underwritten – you can be turned down if you have certain health conditions. Anyone can apply, however, and coverage is available year round.

Benefit Highlights:

1. Covered Preventive Care Visits
2. Prescription Drug Coverage Included
3. No Referrals For Specialists
4. Large PPO Network of Providers
5. Low Deductibles & Copays
6. Urgent Care & Telehealth Included
7. 1 Million Policy Maximum
8. Coverage For Preexisting Conditions

Anthem offers six plans to choose from with varying benefits of each.  All plans have a maximum benefit per insured per term of $1 million dollars. Depending on the plan you select, deductibles range from $1,500 to $7,500, PCP copays are $20-$45 each, and specialist visits are $70 across the board.

There are four Tiers for prescription drug copays on each plan. There is no deductibles and low copays for Tier 1 & 2 drugs. Tiers 3 &  4 are subject to the plan deductible and have higher copays once the deductible is met.

Health Questions & Medical Underwriting

All short term health insurance plans sold today require some amount of medical underwriting. This means you may not qualify for coverage if you have certain health conditions. Unlike ACA/Obamacare plans, there is not an Open Enrollment window and acceptance isn’t guaranteed.

This type of health insurance is not a good fit for everyone. Those who we see benefit most from short term coverage are usually in good health and don’t qualify for tax-credits on the Marketplace.

They are not alway appropriate if you have ongoing health issues, planned procedures and if you’re pregnant or expecting. Generally you want to think of Anthem’s short term health plans as a less expensive way to cover any unknown, future health issues. They may not cover ongoing major issues. You must be able to answer no to certain health questions on the applicaiton.

Why Should I Choose Short Term Health Plans?

Many of our healthy clients prefer short term coverage because it usually costs much less that ACA-type Marketplace insurance. In fact, policies can be nearly half as much as what you might pay on the Exchange without a tax-credit. That’s significant savings.

Another advantage is larger networks. Anthem’s short term coverage allows you to use their PPO network. This gives you access to a much larger pool of doctors and hospitals at home and also while you travel.

Almost all Marketplace plans are HMOs. This means they have much smaller networks of doctors and hospitals. And they’ll only cover you outside of those smaller networks in an emergency. This isn’t great for those who travel often. Short term policies offer PPO networks that can be used across the county.

What Are The Drawbacks To Short Term Plans?

The primary concern is these plans have a finite ending point and you may not be able to renew coverage if your health has changed. That’s why it’s important to make sure you have access to other insurance when your plan ends.

We advise our clients to purchase policies that end on the calendar year. That way they can enroll in an ACA plan no questions asked during the Open Enrollment window. (Open Enrollment runs from November 1st thru December 15th.) If your plan ends in the middle of the year, you may not have many options.

And short term health insurance plans don’t alway cover all preventive care, pregnancies and minor preexisting conditions like ACA plans will. Those with health issues are usually better off with a Marketplace policy.

Contact Us To Learn More

Hyers is an independent insurance brokerage offering health insurance coverage from Anthem and several other companies. We can help you compare and contrast all of your options both on and off the Marketplace. Use our direct quoting links above or contact us for assistance today!