Two types of insurance you can purchase:

or

Traditional Major Medical - Possibly more expensive but provides extensive coverage. Often copays for doctor visits and prescriptions are included in the plan. Policy coverage limits are often higher, such as $2,000,000 and above per year and for the life of the policy. Most of the plans in this category are guaranteed renewable

Short-term, up to 12 months temporary coverage
Short-term health insurance is a temporary health insurance plan (typically 1 to 12 months) and should NOT be used as a substitute for standard, long-term health insurance.

If you are:

• Between jobs
• Waiting for coverage from another health plan to start
• Laid off
• On strike
• A recent college graduate
• A seasonal employee

then short-term health insurance may be right for you.

BUT, please keep in mind the following:

• Short-term medical plans are intended as interim or "gap" coverage, i.e., for people who know, with certainty, that they will have standard, long-term coverage (or coverage through an employer) at a future date.
• Short-term plans are designed to provide protection from unforeseen illness or injury; they are not meant to cover routine exams, preventive care, dental or eye care, or immunizations.
• Short-term plans are exempt from HIPAA legislation. This means that when issuing a Short-term medical policy, insurance carriers do not have to: guarantee renewal, guarantee issue, or waive the pre-existing condition limitation for federally eligible individuals.
• Most importantly, short-term medical plans provide coverage for a limited time frame only. Once this time frame ends, you may or may not be able to buy additional health insurance, depending on your health at that point in time.