Short-Term Health Insurance in Maine: Not Currently Sold (Your Options)
Short-term health plans are not currently sold in Maine. The Maine Bureau of Insurance says no short-term plans that meet Maine law have been submitted for approval. Here is what Maine law requires, and how to get covered instead: a CoverME.gov Marketplace plan, a Special Enrollment Period, MaineCare, or limited gap coverage.
Compare My Maine Options ↓Is Short-Term Health Insurance Sold in Maine?
Short-term health plans are not currently sold in Maine. The Maine Bureau of Insurance says no short-term plans that meet Maine law have been submitted for approval, so none are available for sale. If you need coverage, you can enroll in an ACA Marketplace plan during Open Enrollment, or sooner if a qualifying life event such as losing job-based coverage, moving, marriage, or having a baby gives you a Special Enrollment Period, which generally lasts 60 days. Medicaid accepts applications year-round if your income qualifies, and your advisor can review gap or supplemental coverage that may be available in Maine, which pays limited benefits and does not replace comprehensive health insurance.
Short-term health insurance (short-term, limited-duration insurance) is temporary coverage meant to bridge a gap. In states where it is sold, it is medically underwritten, excludes pre-existing conditions, is not ACA-compliant, and does not qualify for premium tax credits. Maine’s rules for these plans are strict, as the next section explains.
⚠️ Be careful with look-alike offers: Maine law requires a short-term plan to be sold in person, and the Bureau says none are for sale, so treat any online or phone offer of “Maine short-term health insurance” with caution. CoverME.gov is Maine’s official health insurance marketplace, and it warns that look-alike sites such as CoverME.com and CoverME.org are not the real Marketplace. Check whether you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period →
What Maine Law Requires for Short-Term Plans
Maine law (24-A M.R.S. § 2849-B) allows short-term, limited-duration plans only under strict conditions:
📅 Ends by December 31
A plan must be an individual, nonrenewable policy whose term ends no later than December 31 of the year it’s issued.
⏳ 24 Months Combined
One short-term policy can replace another only if your combined short-term coverage stays within 24 months, and only after 12 months with no short-term coverage.
🤝 In-Person Sales Only
An insurer, agent, or broker may not issue a short-term plan unless it was sold through an in-person encounter.
📋 Disclosures and an ACA Check
The seller must give a written comparison with an ACA qualified health plan, check whether you qualify for premium tax credits or cost-sharing reductions, and estimate what an ACA plan would cost you after that help.
Maine law also bars actively marketing or selling short-term plans during open enrollment, except a plan that ends December 31 of the year it’s sold, and requires buyers to be told that a short-term plan is not minimum essential coverage under the ACA and that its ending is not a qualifying event for a Special Enrollment Period.
Bottom line: If a plan is approved in the future, Maine law requires it to end by December 31 of the year it’s issued, bars renewal, and requires an in-person sale. For now, the Maine Bureau of Insurance says no compliant plans have been submitted, so none are for sale.
Your Coverage Options in Maine Instead
If you need coverage in Maine, these are the places to look. Your FreedInsure advisor can walk through each one with you, free.
📋 ACA Plan Through CoverME.gov
CoverME.gov is Maine’s official health insurance marketplace, operated by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. Its plans meet ACA standards and cover pre-existing conditions, and households earning 100%–400% of the federal poverty level who don’t qualify for MaineCare can generally get premium tax credits. Estimate your 2027 subsidy →
📆 2027 Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage starts November 1, 2026. CoverME.gov lists December 15, 2026 as the deadline for coverage that starts January 1, 2027, and January 15, 2027 for coverage that starts February 1, 2027. Open Enrollment 2027 guide →
⏱️ Special Enrollment Period
A qualifying life event such as losing job-based coverage, moving, marriage, or having a baby gives you a Special Enrollment Period, which generally lasts 60 days, so you don’t have to wait for Open Enrollment. See if you qualify →
💚 MaineCare (Medicaid)
MaineCare is Maine’s Medicaid program, offering free and low-cost coverage based on household size and income. Medicaid accepts applications year-round if your income qualifies. Free and low-cost options →
Gap and supplemental coverage
Your advisor can review gap or supplemental coverage that may be available in Maine, which pays limited benefits and does not replace comprehensive health insurance. It is not a substitute for a CoverME.gov plan or MaineCare. How gap coverage works →
⚠️ 2027 subsidies are smaller: The enhanced premium tax credits of 2021–2025 are not back for 2027 under current law, unless Congress acts. Subsidies are smaller than in 2025, and the 400% of poverty level cliff is back, so check your numbers before Open Enrollment. Try the 2027 ACA subsidy calculator →
Maine Coverage Options Compared
| Option | When you can enroll | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| ACA plan on CoverME.gov | Open Enrollment (starts Nov. 1, 2026 for 2027 coverage) or a Special Enrollment Period | Meets ACA standards; covers pre-existing conditions; premium tax credits generally for incomes of 100%–400% of poverty level if you don’t qualify for MaineCare |
| MaineCare (Medicaid) | Year-round if your income qualifies | Free or low-cost coverage based on household size and income |
| Gap or supplemental coverage | Your advisor confirms what is available in Maine | Pays limited benefits; does not replace comprehensive health insurance |
| Short-term health plan | Not currently sold in Maine | No plans that meet Maine law have been submitted for approval, per the Maine Bureau of Insurance |
Bottom line: In Maine, comprehensive coverage comes through a CoverME.gov plan or MaineCare. If you’re outside Open Enrollment, a Special Enrollment Period or MaineCare may let you enroll now, and gap coverage pays only limited benefits. Check your 2027 subsidy first →
Common Situations and Where to Start in Maine
💼 Between Jobs
Losing job-based coverage is a qualifying life event that gives you a Special Enrollment Period, which generally lasts 60 days, to enroll in a CoverME.gov plan. Job loss options →
📅 Missed Open Enrollment
Without a qualifying life event, you can enroll in a CoverME.gov plan when Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage starts November 1, 2026. MaineCare accepts applications year-round if your income qualifies. Open Enrollment 2027 →
🎓 Turning 26
Losing coverage under a parent’s plan is a loss of coverage that can qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period. Your advisor can confirm your window and compare CoverME.gov plans. Turning 26 options →
💲 Lower or Changing Income
If your income has dropped, check MaineCare first, since it accepts applications year-round if your income qualifies. If your income is too high for MaineCare, CoverME.gov premium tax credits may lower your cost. Free and low-cost options →
Maine Short-Term Health Insurance FAQ
Compare Your Maine Coverage Options
Short-term plans aren’t sold in Maine, so we won’t quote you one. Share a few details and a licensed advisor will review your options — ACA Marketplace plans, a Special Enrollment Period if you qualify, whether MaineCare may fit, and gap coverage — free, no obligation.
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Short-term plans are not currently sold in Maine. Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage starts November 1, 2026 — compare ACA Marketplace, Special Enrollment Period, MaineCare and gap coverage options with a licensed advisor, free.
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