According to CNNMoney.com:

The offer, which comes more than a year into the recession that has included thousands of job cuts, only applies to adults who lose their jobs on or after March 31. Spouses, domestic partners and children also qualify if they do not have their own health insurance.

Quest Diagnostics Inc. is offering certain free laboratory tests, such as strep throat and urine cultures, as part of the “Take Care Recovery Plan” announced Tuesday.

To qualify for the free visits, individuals must prove they are receiving or will receive government unemployment benefits. The free services are being offered weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A typical visit to a Take Care clinic, which treats minor ailments, usually costs $59 or more for patients with no insurance.

Assurant STM Assurant Health's Short Term Medical policy offers coverage for up to twelve months. It is insured by Time Insurance Company which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

HPA Secure STM Health Plan Administrator's Secure STM is a short term health insurance plan providing coverage for periods of 30 days to 12 months. It is insured by Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

HPA SecureLite STM Health Plan Administrator's SecureLite STM provides short term medical insurance for 1 - 6 months. It is insured by Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

HPA Secure 12x3 Health Plan Administrator's Secure 12x3 temporary health insurance plan provides up to 3 12-Month coverage periods. It is insured by Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

People hop from job to job all the time, even thought that trend should slow down in this economy. If, however, you expect to be back in the workforce within six months to a year, or even want to tack on some extra, post-COBRA coverage, then consider short-term health insurance. It’s a band-aid approach, and isn’t as comprehensive as regular health care insurance, but a short-term deal can buy you time, cover you against big emergencies, and offers low-cost, same-day approval for the transitioning unemployed.

In our experience, the convenience of online approval and next-day coverage that short term health insurance offers is probably our clients’ favorite feature of our plans. “How soon can I be covered?” is one of the most frequently asked questions our agents hear on the phone. (We happen to answer this in our F.A.Q., but are happy to answer it on the phone, too). It’s been very interesting to hear the reasons why people need immediate coverage, and very satisfying to both us and the client when we are able to get them quality health insurance coverage right away.

This part of the article provided a real life example of the decision people are being forced to face between COBRA and Short Term Health Insurance:

Keith Peterson, 33, of Dallas was laid off Dec. 9 from a Philadelphia-based drug manufacturer. He passed on COBRA insurance because it would have cost $1,200 a month.

In most cases, COBRA costs just as much as the company’s subsidized insurance plan. But with COBRA, the individual pays the entire premium without the company’s help. It’s normal for monthly COBRA premiums to be more than double what a person paid while employed.

Mr. Peterson’s company-provided health insurance for himself, his wife and 2-year-old daughter runs out Dec. 31.

“I’ve got to figure something out,” he said. “Maybe catastrophic insurance on myself and just something on the wife and little girl.”

He said he’s eyeing a short-term individual policy from Blue Cross Blue Shield that will cost him around $100 a month, but he’s not sure.

To be fair, the COBRA plan probably offers richer benefits than the temporary health insurance plan Mr. Peterson is considering, but $1200 per month sounds like a pretty steep monthly health insurance payment for someone that just lost their job. As long as he and his family don’t have any pre-existing conditions that require expensive medications or frequent medical care, the short term health insurance policy is likely a great option for protecting him against today’s high health care costs.

Assurant STM Assurant Health's Short Term Medical policy offers coverage for up to twelve months. It is insured by Time Insurance Company which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

HPA Secure STM Health Plan Administrator's Secure STM is a short term health insurance plan providing coverage for periods of 30 days to 12 months. It is insured by Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

HPA SecureLite STM Health Plan Administrator's SecureLite STM provides short term medical insurance for 1 - 6 months. It is insured by Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

HPA Secure 12x3 Health Plan Administrator's Secure 12x3 temporary health insurance plan provides up to 3 12-Month coverage periods. It is insured by Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

Assurant STM Assurant Health's Short Term Medical policy offers coverage for up to twelve months. It is insured by Time Insurance Company which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

HPA Secure STM Health Plan Administrator's Secure STM is a short term health insurance plan providing coverage for periods of 30 days to 12 months. It is insured by Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

HPA SecureLite STM Health Plan Administrator's SecureLite STM provides short term medical insurance for 1 - 6 months. It is insured by Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

HPA Secure 12x3 Health Plan Administrator's Secure 12x3 temporary health insurance plan provides up to 3 12-Month coverage periods. It is insured by Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

Assurant STM Assurant Health's Short Term Medical policy offers coverage for up to twelve months. It is insured by Time Insurance Company which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

HPA Secure STM Health Plan Administrator's Secure STM is a short term health insurance plan providing coverage for periods of 30 days to 12 months. It is insured by Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

HPA SecureLite STM Health Plan Administrator's SecureLite STM provides short term medical insurance for 1 - 6 months. It is insured by Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

HPA Secure 12x3 Health Plan Administrator's Secure 12x3 temporary health insurance plan provides up to 3 12-Month coverage periods. It is insured by Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

Assurant STM Assurant Health's Short Term Medical policy offers coverage for up to twelve months. It is insured by Time Insurance Company which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

HPA Secure STM Health Plan Administrator's Secure STM is a short term health insurance plan providing coverage for periods of 30 days to 12 months. It is insured by Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

HPA SecureLite STM Health Plan Administrator's SecureLite STM provides short term medical insurance for 1 - 6 months. It is insured by Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

HPA Secure 12x3 Health Plan Administrator's Secure 12x3 temporary health insurance plan provides up to 3 12-Month coverage periods. It is insured by Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

Assurant STM Assurant Health's Short Term Medical policy offers coverage for up to twelve months. It is insured by Time Insurance Company which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

HPA Secure STM Health Plan Administrator's Secure STM is a short term health insurance plan providing coverage for periods of 30 days to 12 months. It is insured by Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

HPA SecureLite STM Health Plan Administrator's SecureLite STM provides short term medical insurance for 1 - 6 months. It is insured by Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, which is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.