Health Insurance for Independent Contractors

Possibly not. Agency-offered plans vary widely and some are also limited-benefit products. The only way to know is to compare the actual benefit schedules side by side, which we will do with you.

Nothing automatic. These policies are individually owned rather than tied to an employer, so you can keep it, drop it, or run it alongside a new employer plan. We would tell you which makes sense.

No. It is regulated as an excepted benefit, outside the Affordable Care Act's comprehensive-coverage rules, and the federal characterization is direct: it is not a substitute for comprehensive coverage. It pays a set amount per covered service rather than a share of your bill, and there is no cap on what you could owe above that amount.

Yes. Marketplace enrollment generally requires Open Enrollment or eligibility for a Special Enrollment Period. This coverage is not bound to that calendar. It is medically underwritten instead, which is a real tradeoff rather than a free pass.

Both are commonly included and both are useful. Neither is insurance. The discount card is a discount program and comparable cards are free to the general public, and specialty virtual care such as psychiatry, psychology and dermatology typically costs extra.