Outside of open enrollment, a special enrollment period allows you to enroll in an ACA-compliant plan (on or off-exchange) if you experience a qualifying life event.
A finalized federal rule will impose new nationwide duration limits on short-term limited duration insurance (STLDI) plans. The rule – which applies to plans sold or issued on or after September 1, 2024 – will limit STLDI plans to three-month terms, and to total duration – including renewals – of no more than four months.
A carrier is another name for insurance company. The terms insurer, carrier, and insurance company are generally used interchangeably. Note that people will sometimes use “provider” as another synonym here, but provider is more often used to describe the hospitals and doctors who provide the health care services. So if you’re going to use the term provider to mean insurer, you’ll want to clarify by saying “insurance provider.”
Before you start seeking health insurance quotes, it's prudent to take a look at the health insurance companies and their potential service to you as a consumer.