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Self employment offers many benefits. You can be your own boss, set your own hours, and even control your income to some extent. Unfortunately, it also means walking away from corporate benefits, including health insurance, 401K plans and more. While you can easily save for retirement with an IRA, finding good quality and affordable health insurance for you and your family is much more of a challenge. Explore your options and consider what you can do to keep critical health care protection in place without draining your bank account.
If you are just starting your own business, you may be able to continue health care coverage from your previous employer for up to 18 months using COBRA. This option can be cost effective, depending upon the insurance plan. It can also prevent any lapse of coverage. In any case, this is a short term solution to a long term issue for entrepreneurs and the self employed.
Health insurance can be purchased via an online or in person insurance broker, much like home owner’s insurance or auto insurance. Insurance brokers can assist you in finding a plan that meets your needs for the best price available. Include only services that you will need and use in your coverage, if at all possible. A single man has no need for maternity coverage. Consider joining a trade or small business association for group plan options. Some trade associations offer group health insurance or discounts on individual plans. You might also consider checking with your state. In some states, health insurance plans may be purchased directly through the state for individuals without access to group plans.
Many entrepreneurs opt for catastrophic care coverage. These plans have a higher deductible, but much lower premiums. While this sort of health insurance is not ideal for anyone with regular health care needs, it can be quite adequate for young and healthy individuals. Catastrophic care insurance can be combined with a Health Savings Account can provide an affordable alternative to more comprehensive insurance plans.
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Some Prefer Bronze LifeHealthPro table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7 style=vertical-align:top;trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serif/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbr /div style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1 //divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=tamp;fd=Ramp;usg=AFQjCNGnOIJx8XHe8T4GB-OX_B-9Gg30ngamp;url=http://www.lifehealthpro.com/2012/02/02/some-prefer-bronzebSome Prefer Bronze/b/abr /font size=-1bfont color=#6f6f6fLifeHealthPro/font/b/fontbr /font size=-1If PPACA takes effect on schedule and works as drafters expect, PPACA will require bhealth/b insurers to sell bcoverage/b on a bguaranteed/b-bissue/b, mostly community-rated basis; require most individuals to have bcoverage/b and most large and midsize employers to b/b/fontbr /font size=-1 class=p/fontbr /font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=dqGFGfrOxuMbl6Mamp;ned=usnobrband morenbsp;raquo;/b/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table |
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In our view: Health Care Turmoil The Columbian table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7 style=vertical-align:top;trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=tamp;fd=Ramp;usg=AFQjCNE0BX72uxJGAHq-CTjetSWSr3q5bQamp;url=http://www.thestreet.com/story/11395635/1/health-insurance-stocks-for-a-republican-win.html?cm_ven%3DGOOGLENimg src=//nt3.ggpht.com/news/tbn/M5HzrAJ3yk4IhM/6.jpg alt= border=1 width=80 height=80 /br /font size=-2TheStreet.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbr /div style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1 //divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=tamp;fd=Ramp;usg=AFQjCNElYc956KD8i0_YvO-jjEYACovhhwamp;url=http://www.columbian.com/news/2012/feb/02/health-care-turmoil/bIn our view: bHealth Care/b Turmoil/b/abr /font size=-1bfont color=#6f6f6fThe Columbian/font/b/fontbr /font size=-1About 47000 Medicaid patients in Clark County are about to be thrust into turmoil -- as will the bhealth care/b plan that has served them for 18 years -- if the state bHealth Care/b Authority has its way. The HCA has selected five bhealth insurance/b plans that b/b/fontbr /font size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=tamp;fd=Ramp;usg=AFQjCNH6EmsHQWtSNUQg3nyqqhNzLwcKfQamp;url=http://www.palmspringslife.com/Palm-Springs-Life/February-2012/WEALTH-A-Prescription-for-Profits/WEALTH - A Prescription for Profits/afont size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrPalm Springs Life/nobr/font/fontbr /font size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=tamp;fd=Ramp;usg=AFQjCNFLQiYrkN7aTrN_BJyEzLREFnQJ9wamp;url=http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2012/February/01/wed-opinions.aspxViewpoints: Debt Estimates And Medicare Plans; Sen. McConnell On Fate Of b/b/afont size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrKaiser Health News/nobr/font/fontbr /font size=-1 class=p/fontbr /font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=dFwQ0O_lCmfJDDMLdbadht5qxBHSMamp;ned=usnobrball 67 news articlesnbsp;raquo;/b/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table |
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Ron Pauls claims about life without Medicare and Medicaid Washington Post (blog) table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7 style=vertical-align:top;trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serif/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbr /div style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1 //divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=tamp;fd=Ramp;usg=AFQjCNFhxHcrbNpZgYBiIIqHxLvJhmWw8Aamp;url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/ron-pauls-claims-about-life-without-medicare-and-medicaid/2012/01/31/gIQAedy5hQ_blog.htmlbRon Paul#39;s claims about life without Medicare and Medicaid/b/abr /font size=-1bfont color=#6f6f6fWashington Post (blog)/font/b/fontbr /font size=-1We stuck to Medicare for this analysis, because no pre-Medicaid reports are readily available to tell us about access to bhealth care/b for the poor. As our colleagues at FactCheck.org pointed out, the US Department of Health, Education and Welfare bissued/b b/b/fontbr /font size=-1 class=p/fontbr /font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=dqXNGTVLs0XFsIMamp;ned=usnobrband morenbsp;raquo;/b/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table |
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Debate to resume on private health changes Herald Sun table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7 style=vertical-align:top;trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serif/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbr /div style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1 //divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=tamp;fd=Ramp;usg=AFQjCNGEXappiWPsx5WOK1B1G3CycMXikAamp;url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/debate-to-resume-on-private-health-changes/story-e6frf7jx-1226261917830bDebate to resume on private bhealth/b changes/b/abr /font size=-1bfont color=#6f6f6fHerald Sun/font/b/fontbr /font size=-1THE Federal Government will press ahead with its plan to means test the private bhealth insurance/b rebate when parliament resumes next week with key independent Rob Oakeshott indicating he is now likely to back the Bills. Former health minister Nicola b/b/fontbr /font size=-1 class=p/fontbr /font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=dYhZLaZLsRbH-oMamp;ned=usnobrband morenbsp;raquo;/b/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table |
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House Small Business Committee Hearing Insurance News Net (press release) table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7 style=vertical-align:top;trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serif/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbr /div style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1 //divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=tamp;fd=Ramp;usg=AFQjCNH3G1auJ_6A7L42bG01MeynHQOy-Qamp;url=http://insurancenewsnet.com/articleNews.aspx?id%3D328354bHouse Small Business Committee Hearing/b/abr /font size=-1bfont color=#6f6f6fInsurance News Net (press release)/font/b/fontbr /font size=-1The FDIC is responsible for trillions in bguarantees/b of government binsured/b deposits, the FHA is liable for another trillion dollars of home mortgage binsurance guarantees/b, and the National Flood bInsurance/b Program is responsible for over a trillion in b/b/fontbr /font size=-1 class=p/fontbr /font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=dFKWUGa_d8Ajf6Mamp;ned=usnobrband morenbsp;raquo;/b/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table |