The ACCESS Act amends federal health insurance law to formally define and regulate short-term limited duration insurance plans, which are temporary health coverage options designed to bridge gaps when people switch jobs or change coverage. The bill allows these plans to last up to 12 months initially and up to 3 years total with renewals, and requires insurers to offer customers the option to renew or decline renewal of their short-term coverage. The legislation targets small businesses struggling with rising healthcare costs by providing them with more affordable, flexible insurance alternatives for their employees, while also giving individual consumers access to less expensive temporary coverage options. The bill applies to all short-term plans that take effect after it becomes law and does not specify any new funding requirements. Supporters argue this increases healthcare choice and affordability, though critics may raise concerns about whether these temporary plans provide adequate consumer protections compared to standard health insurance.
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