The second and somewhat less problematic alternative is called a short term health plan. Although these plans have major medical coverage, the coverage is limited to a certain policy limit that can range anywhere from $100,000 to $2 million depending on the plan. More problematic is that these plans are limited in duration and exclude all pre-existing conditions. This presents a real problem should you get one of these plans, then get real sick and then the plan ends before you have gotten all the care that you need. You will then be left with no insurance while you might still be very sick and still subject to huge medical bills. These plans are a little better than the limited coverage fixed indemnity plans but they are still a big risk to you. The only instance when a short term health plan should be used is if your need for coverage is for less than a few months and when you have other guaranteed issue major medical insurance coverage waiting for you such as the Marketplace, Medicare or employer group health coverage when the short term health plan ends.