States Expand Short-Term Health Plans as ACA Premiums Rise
Conservative states are easing access to short-term, limited-duration health insurance plans as Obamacare premiums spike following the expiration of federal subsidies, and as millions face losing Medicaid coverage due to federal changes, according to the report. Mississippi's insurance commissioner announced plans to sell short-term plans through a state-run customer portal, while Arkansas and Oklahoma now allow such plans to last up to a year and be renewed for up to three years. The plans, which don't have to cover maternity care, mental health treatment or prescription drugs and can deny coverage for preexisting conditions, follow a August 2025 Trump administration decision not to enforce Biden-era duration limits. A Georgetown University Center on Health Insurance Reforms secret shopper study found brokers often used misleading or inaccurate information to sell the plans.