Toolkit: Act Now to Stop Short-Term Plans

Under a proposed rule open for comment until April 23, 2018, the Trump administration wants to expand the sale of substandard, sham health insurance. If finalized in its current form, this rule will harm consumers and the insurance market.

The comment period for the public to speak out against the rule has closed. View Families USA’s comments. 

The administration proposes to allow short-term plans that do not have to comply with preexisting condition, essential health benefit, and other important consumer protections to be sold for nearly 12 months at a time, and possibly even to renew after that.

If these plans are allowed to go to market, they will drive premiums up for everyone who seeks comprehensive insurance by pulling young and healthy people out of the market for real coverage. And for those who enroll in short-term plans, they will find that once they need care, their plan is not there to protect them from health or financial harm.

Use this toolkit to take action to stop the spread of short-term plans

Taking Action to Prevent the Harmful Impact of Short-Term Plans: This guide provides information about how advocates, states, and consumers can take action directed at both the state and federal levels to protect consumers and the market from short-term plans.

Seven Reasons the Trump Administration’s Short-Term Health Plans Are Harmful to Families explains the many ways that short-term plans put consumers at risk for health and financial harm.

Talking points on short-term plans: Use these talking points with policymakers, the media, and the public to explain why short-term plans are harmful to consumers and the insurance market overall.