Temporary Health Insurance

Many if not most, people have never heard of temporary health insurance until suddenly they need it. Into most lives a gap must fall. People are in between jobs, on strike; working but benefits have not yet kicked in. Or they may be recent graduates who had health insurance throughout college and now they are now they are out pounding the pavements without any health insurance. For these reasons temporary health insurance is there for all those in between times. It will cover you from one to twelve months.

***IS TEMPORARY HEALTH INSURANCE LIKE REGULAR INSURANCE?

Yes and no. For starters, it never ever covers pre-existing conditions. No, nyet, no way, nada, and N.O. Nor does it cover preventative, routine health care. That means no physicals, no routine blood work, no mammograms. There is no financial benefit whatsoever to a temporary health insurance company for providing this kind of coverage. Other than these exceptions, temporary health insurance is pretty much like regular health insurance.

***ARE THERE SPECIAL COMPANIES FOR TEMPORARY HEALTH INSURANCE?

Do you mean something like Temporary Contemporary or Memp Temp, headquartered in Memphis Tennessee? No, it's the same old companies that you love, hate, or are indifferent to. Blue Cross, Aetna, Humana and many others offer a wide range of plans. There are a number of sites on the Internet where you can get quotes and details. Always go to your library and read the back issues of Consumer Reports that rate insurance companies.

***HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Let's say you are a 40-year-old woman. If you take no deductible, your rates will be around $200 a month but they go all the way down to $100 if you take a $5000 deductible. There are also co-pays running from 20% to 50%.

In other words, it ain't cheap. If you are flat broke and have no income or assets-no savings, stocks or bonds, no little chalet in Vale-you can go to your local welfare office and get your state's version of Medicaid.

***DO I REALLY NEED TEMPORARY HEALTH INSURANCE? I'M VERY HEALTHY.

You're out job hunting and you've got on your classy pair of spike heels. Your feet are killing you but you bravely pound the pavement. Suddenly that little heel catches in a crack and you twist and fall. There is a sickening "thunk" as your head hits the pavement. Now you have a spiral fracture to the leg and a brain injury. The doctors have to operate on your leg and drain the fluid from your brain. You are now thousands of dollars in debt and your salary from any job you get will be used to pay off this debt. You decide. Do you need temporary health insurance?