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Noah
Noah
Jan 19, 2025, 10:28 AM
Forwarded from another channel:
Forwarded thread from another channel:
Mika Lepistö
Mika Lepistö
Nov 21, 2024, 1:08 PM
What do people do for quality health insurance? This came up at one of the <#C07G71H8K2Q|> round tables.
Some larger organizations/associations have memberships where you can get access similar to an employer plan (realtors with NAR) for example.
Anyone know of something like that?
Mike Belasco
Mike Belasco
Nov 21, 2024, 4:38 PM
we purchase from the Colorado "marketplace" via a broker
Katherine Watier Ong
Katherine Watier Ong
Nov 21, 2024, 4:40 PM
freelancer's union (though I have insurance through my husband's Tricare)
Mika Lepistö
Mika Lepistö
Nov 21, 2024, 5:05 PM
@Mike Belasco why a broker if it's marketplace?
Mike Belasco
Mike Belasco
Nov 21, 2024, 5:07 PM
they assisted with helping to pick the right plan, making sure our docs and meds were on it etc. No additional cost to us. @Mika Lepistö
Mika Lepistö
Mika Lepistö
Nov 21, 2024, 5:09 PM
Gotcha. I've heard them called advisors or similar before. Brokers in the sense of being an employer means they often make a cut on the deal where someone who you pay for the guidance gets a flat fee. That Makes a lot of sense for larger groups.
Mike Belasco
Mike Belasco
Nov 21, 2024, 7:06 PM
I don't know what his technical title is but pretty sure he gets a cut. Insurance just keeps the profit if they don't cut someone in.
Stephanie Briggs
Stephanie Briggs
Nov 21, 2024, 8:07 PM
I have used a broker/adviser also. Highly recommend it. They get paid by whatever insurance company you choose, but are great for making sure you get the right docs and meds covered (they usually are not pushy at all). When my husband and I were consulting together, no one in the state of Oregon would offer us a good plan, since we were a husband/wife team. We were willing to pay extra for a good plan, they just wouldn't offer it. We had a medically complicated kiddo at the time, with multiple surgeries on the horizon, and we ultimately decided that one of us needed an in-house job to get better benefits.
Mika Lepistö
Mika Lepistö
Nov 21, 2024, 10:21 PM
It's so frustrating to me that a decision on healthcare weighs on decision for employment. I realize that's getting close to the line on topic here so let's just leave it at that other than I have both empathy and sympathy and ownership experience tying to find decent plans at reasonable cost, having been on potentially every side of self/employer/employee.
There is an interesting book called "never pay the first bill" that sheds some light on the power based on pay or groups that may be of interest for those wanting to understand more about how the system works although it's not freelance specific.
It just seems difficult to navigate this as an individual.
Nick LeRoy
Nick LeRoy
Nov 22, 2024, 9:31 AM
I'm so bummed I had to leave early missing the freelance roundtable.
I use MNsure which is a program specific to Minnesotans to buy health insurance.
It's painfully expensive but my family is a bunch of zebras with various medical issues so cheaping out isn't an option for me.
If possible, being on a spouses policy is likely the most cost effective. There are also some "medical cost sharing" programs, typically associated with various churches/religions.
Mika Lepistö
Mika Lepistö
Nov 22, 2024, 10:28 AM
Too bad you couldn't make it @Nick LeRoy. I feel like I get to shake your hand once at an event and thats all ????
We talked about those options too. Some suggested (or may have, not sure) get a part time job for benefits.
My point on that is while it is a route, if you can spend that amount of time you're giving up that much in billable so solving for insurance is actually solving for money,as long as you bill more on your own for those hours.
I know one person who is in one of those cost sharing programs and it's been good for them. I have heard from (and in that round table) that since they aren't insurers, they aren't regulated and that can lead to some issues.
Tagging @Dave Coppedge in case he's interested since he was there too.
Just seems like a common freelance / small entity pain point and there has to be something better available, but the challenge of cross-state borders is likely a big factor.
Nick LeRoy
Nick LeRoy
Nov 22, 2024, 10:57 AM
Yes @Mika Lepistö i feel like we need a seperate meal/coffee just to chat more!
PT work may be valuable if your just starting or struggling. I pay ~20k for my insurance premiums. But I make well over 20K in incremental revenue vs my old salary working for others.
So do what you need to do to take care of yourself/family but if you can get the work, it should pay for itself!
Mika Lepistö
Mika Lepistö
Nov 22, 2024, 12:03 PM
My premium is $9k (haven't yet looked for next year) for just myself. Granted, that's a pretty good plan but the math for me on that works out about the same as a cheaper plan with higher OOPs.
Christina Spaulding
Christina Spaulding
Nov 25, 2024, 2:56 PM
So I looked around the NASE website and found a form to submit for an . I received follow-ups from 2 brokers, 1 of which sent me a quote.
That quote is $660 per month for a PPO that is NOT primary care. Won't work for me, but happy to share plan details if anyone is interested.
Also, I had talked to a different broker previously about an America's Choice Plan, that does cover primary care, also for around $650 IIRC. This was more interesting to me than our current ACA coverage, but didn't quite hit the mark at the time. With open enrollment happening now, it may come back into consideration. Happy to share that as well.
Request a small business health insurance quote today! The NASE provides access to tools and resources to help with your small business health insurance.
Mika Lepistö
Mika Lepistö
Nov 25, 2024, 3:38 PM
Thanks, I'll check that out. I did some legwork on organizations to check into and will report back. 2025 is going to cost me just shy of $14k.
Arnout Hellemans
Arnout Hellemans
Nov 27, 2024, 9:50 AM
Move to the netherlands, taxes are heavy but loads is included (like universal healthcare)
Mika Lepistö
Mika Lepistö
Nov 27, 2024, 10:10 AM
Don't think I'm not very tempted... and not just because of those reasons.
Eric Vallee
Eric Vallee
Jan 3, 2025, 3:13 AM
I used a broker and went on healthcare marketplace. I originally did my own research; but went with a broker as it didn’t cost me anything.
One caveat; always double check with your doctor on network coverage. The marketplace isn’t always accurate or up to date

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