Involuntary loss of coverage is a qualifying event that triggers a special enrollment period. If you lose your plan, you’ll have a chance to enroll in a new plan, either on or off the exchange in your state.
Medical discount plans are much less expensive than health insurance, but they do not provide any of the protections of a health insurance policy. Instead, they simply give members a discount on medical services.
The discounts are not guaranteed and can vary significantly depending on the provider and the treatment involved. There is no cap on out-of-pocket costs with a discount plan, and they are not regulated by the ACA; regulation is left to the states instead.
Discount plans are not suitable to be a person’s only medical coverage, and they aren’t really necessary if you have major medical health insurance, as one of the benefits of health insurance is the built-in discount resulting from the network negotiated rates. A dental/vision discount card can still be useful in addition to regular major medical health insurance, however, as adult dental and vision services are rarely covered by health insurance plans.