A Freelancer’s Guide to Health Insurance

Freelancers are experts at seizing opportunities and following their own paths. Even though you are building a business, there are still many things to learn along the way.

One of the things that freelancers often overlook is securing health insurance. Since many employers already offer insurance, you may not know where to start when looking for it on your own. But don’t worry we’re here to help. Read on for the freelancer’s guide to health insurance.

Contents

Do Some Research

When you work for an employer, finding health insurance is as easy as reading through the plan they offer. When you are a freelancer, you won’t have that option anymore. But, you already know that in owning your own business you have to do some research. There are tons of resources out there that can help freelancers find plans that work for them.

When you first start looking for health insurance, some popular options that come up include the health insurance marketplace. If you have a spouse or domestic partner, you can also opt-in for their health insurance plan if they work for an employer that offers health insurance. If you have recently left a job to become a freelancer, you can opt in to COBRA coverage for at least 18 months. There are also tons of independent providers that you can learn more about as a freelancer.

Figure Out Your Needs

Not everyone will need the same health insurance plans as a freelancer. It all comes down to your personal health history, line of work, and coverage you feel you need. When you whittle it down, you can make sure that you find plans that don’t have too many extras.

Freelancers know how to be savvy and you can continue using those skills when it comes to finding health insurance. Some things you may want to consider when looking for your healthcare plan include:

  • Basic coverage for medical emergencies
  • Deductible costs vs. copays
  • Health savings accounts

Basic Coverage

When you go for a basic coverage health insurance plan, you will have enough coverage for medical emergencies. This means that you will pay out of pocket when visiting your primary care physician, dentist, and any other medical offices. This is a good option if you are only getting coverage for yourself. Or if you feel comfortable paying those prices without a consistent plan to pay into.

Deductible Costs vs. Copays

A deductible is the amount of money that you pay out of pocket before your insurance pays any of your expenses. You can get low deductible plans with higher monthly payments and vice versa. When looking at deductibles, you can consider going for a low-cost payment plan with a high deductible. This would mean your monthly costs are lower but each visit to a different doctor would be at a higher cost until you reach your deductible.

Health Savings Account

You can also consider opening a plan with a health savings account. The money that you deposit into this account can only be used for healthcare purposes. This is a great way to ensure that you always have enough money to cover medical costs without having to pull it right out of your pocket. Whatever plan you choose is going to be determined by the type of coverage you think you need.

Picking Your Plan

Once you figure out your needs, you can pick a plan and start making your payments. Being a freelancer is all about flexibility, so finding a health insurance plan that meets your needs is crucial. Luckily there are health insurance services created specifically for freelancers. This can help you pick and choose your coverage at low rates. Whether you need vision, help to find mental health resources, or just a basic plan, you can still find all of those as a freelancer.

Conclusion

Just because you run your own business doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have access to great health care benefits. As a freelancer, all you need to do is do a little research to find the plans and coverage that work best for you. As freelancing continues to grow in popularity, so do the amount of health care services for freelancers. Make sure you keep yourself protected and don’t pay insane costs when you need medical care as a freelancer.

 

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