WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher has introduced new legislation aimed at expanding access to short-term health insurance options, saying the proposal would give Idahoans and other Americans more flexibility and affordability in their healthcare coverage.

The Removing Insurance Gaps for Health Treatment (RIGHT) Act of 2025 would extend the allowable length of short-term limited-duration insurance (STLDI) plans. Under current federal rules, these plans can only run for three months, with renewals capped at a total of four months. Fulcher said that timeline is too restrictive for individuals who rely on temporary coverage during job transitions, life changes or other gaps in long-term insurance.

“Idahoans deserve affordable and flexible healthcare plans that meet their needs,” Fulcher said in the announcement. “Four months is far too short a limit, posing undue stress and uncertainty on Americans who would otherwise be left without coverage.”

The proposed legislation would establish STLDI plans under the Public Health Service Act and allow them to span a full year, with renewals permitted for up to three years. Fulcher described the bill as a “practical, no-cost approach” intended to expand choice and reduce stress for families navigating rising healthcare costs.

Supporters of short-term plans have argued they offer a lower-cost alternative to standard insurance policies, though critics nationally have raised concerns that the plans may offer fewer protections or exclude certain conditions.

Fulcher’s announcement notes that healthcare costs continue to rise “at an astronomical rate,” and he framed the bill as an effort to preserve options for consumers who feel priced out of traditional markets.

The bill was introduced Thursday, and Fulcher’s office said questions should be directed to his congressional offices in Washington, Meridian, Lewiston, or Coeur d’Alene.