Modern Healthcare’s Shelby Livingston found a report that uncovered just how little short-term health plans paid out in medical benefits last year, and hoo boy, the numbers are low, Axios’ Bob Herman writes.

By the numbers: Fewer than 87,000 people had a short-term healthplan last year, paying only $110 million in cumulative premiums — indicating this market is still extremely small. But insurers that operate in it are keeping a vast majority of the premium dollars for themselves.

• National General Insurance: 58% medical loss ratio (58 cents of every dollar went toward medical care)
• UnitedHealth Group: 37% 
• Independence Holding Co.: 36%
• Cambia Health Solutions: 9%

The bottom line: The Trump administration has promoted short-term plans as cheaper alternatives to traditional medical coverage. But they are less expensive because they cover far fewer services (while keeping a lot for overhead), and therefore appeal to healthier people willing to roll the dice on bare-bones coverage.