Michael Tobias Says Insurance Obtained For ‘Short-Term’ Use Is Crucial Stop-Gap Service

Documents related to application for health insurance

Have you ever looked at an itemized breakdown of a hospital bill? Have you ever had to pay an inflated amount for a doctor’s visit just because you missed the “open enrollment” period mandated by Obamacare? While the rules and regulations surrounding the “individual mandate” and other fines have been loosened, it hasn’t brought down sky-high health-related bills for patients. When it comes to health insurance, Michael Tobias says that there are companies out there doing good work and giving good people the opportunity to get short-term insurance in times of need. While it’s true that these plans won’t meet minimum coverage guidelines, they’ll also keep associated treatments bill down to a minimum. In this article, Michael Tobias explains insurance coverage on the short-term from providers like Pivot Health.

 

According to a July 11, 2018 article from Rhode Island Public Radio, the health insurance industry says “short term plans are filling an important need for less costly coverage.” In New York and New Jersey, legislation was passed that required short-term plans to “include the same consumer protections as other insurance plans.” That’s the difference here, says insurance expert Michael Tobias. Short-term plans are not robust health insurance policies nor do they masquerade as being one. According to Pivot Health’s own website, more than half of short-term plan customers said that they’d be without coverage at all if it weren’t for these options. What those looking for health care alternatives should know, however, is that this route isn’t always the most affordable and there’s a certain amount of due diligence that’s required on behalf of the patient. Still, Michael Tobias says insurance plans that are custom-picked through professional assistance with navigating the available providers can pay off in the long run.

 

According to the Rhode Island Public Radio article, some providers of short-term plans state that they aren’t renewable. This is what we mean by “due diligence.” In some ways, it’s a stop-gap measure in times of need. In others, these providers are a welcome addition to the marketplace due to the federal requirement that all Americans hold health insurance policies. Ahead of the 2018 Open Enrollment period, Mr. Tobias suggests finding an operation that can make sense of your personal needs and what some health insurance companies are offering. Since his company aims to keep clients for life, Michael Tobias says insurance plans that are shown to customers by his company are often a better fit than what would be found if someone made their own ill-informed choices in this often confusing arena.