Sell FlexTerm Short Term Medical by Everest: Low-Cost STM With Real PPO Network Access
A lower-cost short term medical option your clients can actually use, backed by an A+ (Superior) AM Best-rated carrier and the PHCS Practitioner & Ancillary Network.
Most short term medical products force a trade-off: either the premium is affordable or the client gets meaningful provider access, rarely both. FlexTerm Health Insurance, underwritten by Everest Reinsurance Company and administered by InsuranceTPA.com, is built to close that gap. Your clients get next-day coverage, freedom to choose their own doctors, and access to PHCS network repricing that helps them avoid balance billing, at premiums that consistently undercut traditional STM carriers.
Why Brokers Choose FlexTerm Over Traditional STM Carriers
Price point that wins quotes. FlexTerm’s streamlined benefit design and flexible deductible/coinsurance structure let you quote clients at price points traditional short term carriers struggle to match, often around half the cost of COBRA continuation for clients in transition.
PHCS Practitioner & Ancillary Network access. Unlike bare-bones indemnity-style STM products, FlexTerm clients can see providers in the PHCS network (a MultiPlan network) to take advantage of negotiated repricing and avoid balance billing on covered services. Clients are not locked into a network; they keep the freedom to choose any doctor or hospital, with facility benefits paid at up to 150% of the Medicare allowable rate.
A+ carrier strength. FlexTerm is underwritten by Everest Reinsurance Company, rated A+ (Superior) by AM Best. That rating matters in the sale: it’s the answer when a client asks “who’s actually behind this policy?”
Next-day coverage and a 5-minute application. Coverage can begin as early as 12:01 a.m. the day after the application is processed and payment posts. No enrollment periods, no waiting on carrier underwriting queues. For clients who just lost group coverage, that speed closes the deal.
Flexible plan design you control. Tailor the quote to the client’s budget:
- Deductibles: $1,000 / $2,500 / $5,000 / $7,500 / $10,000
- Coinsurance: 50/50, 70/30, 80/20, or 100/0
- Out-of-pocket maximums: $2,000–$5,000
- Coverage period maximums: $250,000 up to $1,500,000
- $50 copay for physician office visits and one annual routine wellness exam
Single-pay or monthly payment options. Clients who know their coverage window can pay once for the exact number of days (30-day minimum); clients who are unsure can pay month to month and simply stop paying when they land permanent coverage.
Who FlexTerm Is For (Your Ideal Client Profiles)
Short term medical isn’t for everyone, and positioning it correctly is what keeps your book clean and your E&O carrier happy. FlexTerm fits clients who are healthy, in transition, and need a bridge:
- Between jobs: a fraction of the cost of COBRA while they search
- Waiting out a new employer’s benefits waiting period
- New graduates aging off student plans and hunting for their first job with benefits
- Temporary, seasonal, and gig workers with unpredictable employment schedules
- Clients who missed Open Enrollment and don’t qualify for a Special Enrollment Period
Clients with pre-existing conditions, ongoing prescriptions, or chronic care needs should be steered to ACA marketplace coverage; FlexTerm excludes pre-existing conditions and is not minimum essential coverage. Knowing when not to sell STM is part of selling it well.
Plan Snapshot
| Feature | FlexTerm Traditional Plan |
|---|---|
| Underwriter | Everest Reinsurance Company (A+ Superior, AM Best) |
| Administrator | InsuranceTPA.com Administrators |
| Network | PHCS Practitioner & Ancillary (MultiPlan), no network lock-in |
| Eligibility | Ages 2–64 |
| Effective date | As early as next day |
| Application | ~5 minutes, online |
| Doctor office visit | $50 copay |
| Annual routine exam | $50 copay |
| Deductible options | $1,000–$10,000 |
| Coinsurance options | 50/50, 70/30, 80/20, 100/0 |
| Coverage period max | Up to $1,500,000 |
| ER / outpatient surgery / advanced diagnostics | $500 per-occurrence deductibles apply |
| Payment | Single payment or monthly |
| Renewability | Non-renewable; new application required (12-month reapplication limit per federal rules effective 9/1/2024) |
Benefits, terms, durations, and availability vary by state. Refer to the current plan brochure and certificate for complete details.
State Availability
FlexTerm is currently available in 26 states:
AL*, AZ*, AR*, DE, FL*, GA*, IN*, KY, LA, MS*, MI, MO, NE*, NV, NC, OH*, OK*, OR, SC*, SD, TN*, TX*, VA*, WV*, WI*, WY
*AUIC association membership is required in these states. Coverage period durations are subject to federal and state regulations and vary by state.
Key Exclusions to Know Before You Quote
Set expectations up front and you’ll never have a claims-surprise conversation later. FlexTerm does not cover:
- Pre-existing conditions (including conditions not asked about on the enrollment form)
- Outpatient prescription drugs (covered only when administered in an inpatient or covered outpatient setting)
- Normal maternity (complications of pregnancy are covered), dental, vision, hearing
- Sicknesses beginning within the first 5 days (30 days for cancer) after the effective date
- Certain named procedures during the first 6 months (tonsillectomy, hernia repair, gallbladder, sinus/septum surgery, and others)
Full limitations and exclusions are in the certificate of coverage and vary by state.
How to Get Appointed
Contracting through Broker’s Broker is fast and paperless:
- Submit your contracting request through our online contracting portal, takes about 10 minutes with SureLC.
- Get access to quoting and enrollment tools for FlexTerm, including client-facing application links you can drop into your own site or emails.
- Start quoting: write your first case the same week in most states.
You’ll also get direct support from our team on hard-to-place cases, plus access to our full portfolio of ACA, life, Medicare, and ancillary carriers so every client conversation has an answer.
FAQ (Broker Edition)
How does FlexTerm keep premiums lower than traditional STM carriers?
Medical underwriting at application (a short set of health questions), a pre-existing condition exclusion, defined per-occurrence deductibles on high-cost services, and facility reimbursement benchmarked to 150% of Medicare allowable rates. Leaner claims exposure translates directly into lower rates you can quote.
Is there really a PPO network?
Clients aren’t confined to a network, but seeing providers in the PHCS Practitioner & Ancillary Network gets them negotiated repricing and protection from balance billing on covered practitioner services. That’s a meaningful differentiator versus STM products with no network relationship at all. (Note: PHCS repricing is not available in Nebraska.)
Can clients renew?
No, policies are non-renewable, and effective 9/1/2024 federal rules prevent reapplication within a 12-month period. Position FlexTerm as a bridge, and use the expiration date as your built-in follow-up to move the client into an ACA plan, a second commission opportunity.
How are commissions paid?
Contact us for the current FlexTerm commission schedule. As with all Broker’s Broker contracts, you’re paid directly from the first piece of issued business.
What compliance rules apply to marketing this product?
Everest maintains an advertising policy and call-center business practices that appointed agents must follow, and all consumer-facing marketing must carry the required federal STM notice (this coverage is not minimum essential coverage under the ACA). We provide compliant, co-brandable marketing materials to appointed agents.
