Does temporary insurance satisfy the requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage?

It depends on the type of coverage.  Excepted benefits is not minimum essential coverage.  This includes coverage only for accident, or disability income insurance; liability insurance; coverage issued as a supplement to liability insurance; workers’ compensation; automobile medical payment insurance; credit-only insurance; coverage for on-site medical clinics; other similar insurance coverage, under which benefits for medical care are secondary or incidental to other insurance benefits.  Moreover, the following are excepted benefits if the benefits are provided under a separate policy, certificate, or contract: limited scope dental or vision benefits; benefits for long-term care, nursing home care, home health care, community-based care; coverage only for a specified disease or illness; hospital indemnity or other fixed indemnity insurance; Medicare supplemental health insurance; and similar supplemental coverage provided to coverage under a group health plan.

Non-exempt individuals and their dependents are required to maintain minimum essential coverage for each month beginning in 2014.  However, each individual can be without coverage for a continuous period of less than three months during a calendar year and not be subject to the penalty.