For consumers who want health insurance but missed the open enrollment deadline under the Affordable Care Act and its extensions, your best bet is to purchase short-term health insurance to protect you against major medical debt in case of emergencies.
Unpaid medical bills are the leading cause of bankruptcy in the U.S., said Egon Smola, a senior vice president at Getlnsured, a Palo Al to, California, health insurance broker. If you are between 25 and 34 years old, you have a 5 percent chance of incurring medical bills of at least $ 27,000 this year and a 10 percent chance of medical bills of at least $ 13,000 , he said.