You may need Virginia temp medical insurance for a variety of reasons. You could be between jobs or you may only have temporary or part time employment. Virginia temp health insurance will be required while you are waiting for permanent health insurance to begin and it can be an affordable alternative to Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) insurance.

Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) generally do not provide services for short-term health insurance. Virginia temporary medical insurance providers usually allow the insured party to receive care from any licensed health provider.

1. Gap coverage between standard policies is the primary intent of short-term medical insurance. Virginia employees with temporary health insurance should expect to obtain long-term health insurance at some definite point in the future.

2. Temporary health insurance in Virginia provides coverage for unforeseen illness and injury but generally does not cover routine examinations or preventative care.

3. Temporary health insurance in Virginia is exempt from the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) so these carriers are not required to issue or renew temporary health insurance policies.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Obtain quotes for temporary health insurance policies in Virginia

There is a wide variation in premiums between companies but policy holders of Virginia temp health insurance will pay a higher premium than for a long term policy.

I recommend: The Virginia Health Insurance Alliance offers VA temporary health insurance from several major providers including Aetna, UniCare and United Healthcare.

Examine the types of temporary health insurance policies available in Virginia

VA temporary health insurance may only cover certain groups or conditions. It is extremely helpful to know the intended purpose of a given policy before studying it in detail.

I recommend: Find a brief description of different plans for Virginia temporary health insurance at MedHealthInsurance. This site also provides a list health insurance companies that do business in Virginia.

Apply for personalized quotes on temporary health insurance

You can get a more meaningful initial quote by providing some information about yourself when applying for short-term health insurance in Virginia.

I recommend: Download, print and complete the application for the medical plan you are most interested in at VA Medical Plans. This site has applications for a number of major health insurers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Review any prospective policies for a provision that would extend your coverage beyond the stated expiration date of the temporary medical insurance. Virginia temporary health care plans will often cover total disabilities until other conditions have been satisfied. These can include paying a maximum benefit, reaching a certain time beyond the expiration date or when treatment is no longer required. Many plans will also provide a fixed benefit for partial disability after the policy expires.