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Short-Term Health Insurance in Minnesota

There aren't any for sale: no carrier has offered new plans since August 2023, and the law caps them at 185 days regardless. What to use instead.

At a glance

Short-term medical insurance isn't available in Minnesota — no carrier has offered new short-term plans since August 2023, a status the state reconfirmed in May 2026.

Even where it existed, Minnesota law caps it hard: 185 days or less, nonrenewable, and no more than 365 days out of any 555-day period across all carriers.

The August 2025 federal non-enforcement has no effect in Minnesota — the state applies its own rules, and there are no carriers regardless.

Minnesota residents use MNsure, the state's ACA marketplace, or Medicaid.

Why short-term medical isn't available in Minnesota

Minnesota technically permits short-term coverage but restricts it so tightly — and no carrier sells it — that it isn't a real option.

The statute, Minn. Stat. 62A.65 Subd. 7, limits a short-term plan to 185 days or less (7(a)(1)), makes it nonrenewable, and caps total coverage at no more than 365 days out of any 555-day period, regardless of how many policies or carriers are involved (7(a)(2), 7(d)). That aggregate cap prohibits back-to-back stacking across carriers.

On top of the statute, the market has cleared out. As the Minnesota Department of Commerce states, "As of August 2023, no insurance carrier in Minnesota offers new short-term limited duration health plans" — a status the department reconfirmed in May 2026. So short-term medical is not purchasable in Minnesota today.

The federal government's August 2025 decision not to enforce its own short-term rule does not change this — Minnesota applies its own rules, and there are no carriers to sell a plan regardless.

What to consider instead

Since short-term medical isn't a real option here, this is what Minnesota residents can use (described as coverage types, not specific products):

MNsure (the ACA marketplace) — comprehensive major-medical coverage that covers essential health benefits, can't turn you down for pre-existing conditions, and may come with income-based subsidies. This is the primary route to real coverage in Minnesota.

Medicaid — Minnesota has expanded Medicaid, which covers many low-income residents at little or no cost. Worth checking first.

Fixed indemnity and other excepted benefits — supplemental coverage that pays limited, defined benefits. Minnesota has specific rules here: a form counts as fixed indemnity if at least half its claims are paid on a fixed basis (Minn. Stat. 62A.135), and accident-only and sickness coverage can't be combined in one individual policy (Minn. Stat. 60A.06 Subd. 3) — they must be two separate policies. Not a substitute for major medical.

As an independent, carrier-neutral brokerage, we don't sell short-term plans in Minnesota — there are none to sell. We can help you compare the coverage that is available.

How enrollment works here

Minnesota runs its own state-based marketplace, MNsure (mnsure.org), for ACA plans. Enrollment works on a schedule:

Open Enrollment happens once a year, typically each fall through early winter, for coverage that starts the following January.

Special Enrollment Periods are available year-round if you have a qualifying life event — for example, losing job-based coverage, moving, getting married, or having a baby.

Medicaid is different: you can apply any time of year, and if you qualify, coverage can start without waiting for Open Enrollment. It's worth checking Medicaid eligibility before anything else.

What it costs

Because short-term medical isn't sold in Minnesota, the real cost question is about the coverage that is available — and we don't quote premiums here, since they depend on your situation. A few factors to keep in mind:

For MNsure plans, your premium depends on income (which determines subsidy eligibility), age, area, tobacco use, and the metal level you choose. Many Minnesota residents qualify for subsidies that lower the monthly cost.

For Medicaid, coverage is available at little or no cost to those who qualify, based mainly on household income and size.

For fixed indemnity or excepted benefits, cost depends on the benefit amounts and who's covered — but remember these are supplemental, so you'd typically pair them with real coverage, not rely on them alone.

Matthew T. Giberti Licensed Expert · NPN 20698856 · Updated July 2026

Short-term medical insurance is not available in Minnesota; state law restricts it tightly and no carrier currently offers it. Fixed indemnity and other excepted benefits that remain legal in Minnesota are supplemental coverage — they are not minimum essential coverage under the Affordable Care Act, do not cover the full set of essential health benefits, and are not a substitute for major medical coverage.

GetHealthPlans.com is operated by MTG Insurance Agency, an independent, carrier-neutral brokerage. We do not issue insurance and are not a government agency or the health insurance marketplace. Regulatory details on this page reflect Minnesota law and Minnesota Department of Commerce guidance as of the last-reviewed date and can change; confirm current details before making coverage decisions.