Trump administration Oks short-term health plans

The Trump administration finalized a rule this week that expands access to health insurance policies that skirt many of the Affordable Care Act's regulations (Source: “Trump administration to allow renewable, short-term insurance,” Modern Healthcare, Aug. 1, 2018).

The rule allows people to buy short-term, limited-duration health coverage that lasts up to 12 months and renew that coverage for a maximum of 36 months. Insurers can deny short-term coverage to people who have pre-existing conditions. 

The Obama administration, citing consumer protections, had limited such plans, which are cheaper with skimpier benefits than ACA-compliant plans, to less than three months, and they weren't renewable. 

The Trump administration has touted the move to expand access to short-term insurance coverage as a way to make healthcare coverage more affordable for people who have been priced out of the individual market.