Best Health Insurance for Freelancers

Whether you are already a freelancer or contemplating a change of career into freelancing, you need to know all your healthcare options. Here are some of the best health insurance options for freelancers.

COBRA

COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) includes a rule that if you leave a job with health care, you must be given the option to extend your coverage for up to eighteen months. If you are thinking about leaving your job, you can rely on COBRA for a while as you look for other options. You need to look into corporate plans because they provide more coverage than individual plans do.

Freelancer’s Union

In the past, the Freelancer’s Union was only able to provide coverage in a few states, but now you can get coverage from any state. Although they do not have the best plans in some areas, you need to check. If you do not earn a low income and cannot get into a group, you might end up paying high premiums.

Spouse’s Policy

If you do not want to look for your own health plan, you can simply add yourself to your partner’s policy. In some cases, you might have to pay part of the premium but in others, you will be added free. Before you decide to add your name to your spouse’s health care policy, you should compare the coverage and expenses with other plans. This way, you will ensure that you are not paying high premiums for less coverage.

Affordable Care Act

If you are a US citizen who is at risk of major disease and earn a low income, the Affordable Care Act is the way to go. The ACA has brought significant changes to healthcare: you will no longer be declined for healthcare and legal immigrants can get coverage. Although the coverage is not all-inclusive, it will cover the basics and include some dental.

If you are not a low-income earner, you should visit online marketplaces to choose from a wide array of plan types. As the deadline for enrollment approaches, these sites become slower, so you should visit them early.

High Deductible Private Insurance

If your income is decent and you do not qualify for subsidized ACA plans, you should look into family and individual plans. You should consider getting a basic plan that protects you from disaster if you are young and healthy. This plan will have low premiums and high deductibles, which means that you will pay more out of your pocket before your insurance kicks in.

It would be smart to set aside $10,000 to $20,000 in case you fall sick. Despite the high deductible, this plan will help you to save money if you do not get sick during that year.

Health Savings Account

If you enroll in a high-deductible plan, you should save money in a tax-sheltered health savings account. Plans with HSA allow you to pay for your medical expenses from the savings account. The best part of having an HSA is that you will not pay any tax on it.

Faith-Based Healthcare-Sharing

Some religious denominations are offering low-cost health care to persons who are willing to contribute monthly. You will pay what you can afford per month; when you need medical aid, your bills will be paid out of the pool. However, there is no guarantee that your medical bills will be paid because this is a cost-sharing scheme, not an insurance plan.

It is a low-cost alternative for people who are okay with some uncertainty.

Pay Cash for Discounts

If you are rich, you should consider paying for hospital bills out of your own pocket. When you pay in cash, you might receive a discount of up to thirty percent. However, nobody will give you a discount unless you are smart enough to ask for it.

For freelancers, healthcare is complex, which means that you should take the above insurance options seriously. If you are over the age of 65 and considering Medicare, you should learn more about this before enrolling. Of course, freelancers can get health insurance but it is quite costly. Make sure that you conduct plenty of research and compare different plans before you enroll for any health insurance plan.