Health Insurance for FREELANCERS
Down & Out
My worst nightmare became reality when I hurt my back. I had been freelancing for about 3 years, but still hadn't accumulated enough regular work to buy health insurance. Besides, I had jobs with design studios and small companies at various times during my career that didn't provide employee benefits, so it wasn't something I missed. It's a common occurence in the commercial art industry; margins are so tight, many employers simply cannot meet the rent, pay the salaries and offer a competitive benefit package. Freelance teaches you a deep appreciation for employee benefits, but perhaps not enough to give up freedom (yes, put on your best Mel Gibson blue face, thank you).
A client, who also happened to be a nurse, took pity on me; actually, I think she was more interested in getting her projects completed. She got me in to see a well known back doctor who examined my films. "Yes, I think I can help you . . . in fact, I can relieve that pain in less than five minutes, but not today. You come and see me when you have health insurance." He patted me on the back as he pushed me out of his office, bent over, limping, tears in my eyes from the pain shooting down my right leg to my toes.
Eventually, I felt like shooting myself the pain was so intense; and relentless. I think it's the relentless part that drives people with chronic pain nuts. Eventually, I went to the public hospital and waited for more than twelve hours to see a doctor. During that time, an orderly demanded my gurney because he needed it for a more serious injury until I promised to lay on the floor if he took it. As they wheeled me up to the ward to see the doctor, a young white orderly leaned over me and said, "What are YOU doing here? You need to get a job!" It's a pompous twit who believes 1) only people of color don't have healthcare, and 2) people are poor because they are too lazy to work.
If you can spare yourself these economic inequities, here are some important tips about finding employee benefits for yourself. If worse comes to worse and you don't have enough regular work to support a health plan, free clinics still exist. Find a clinic in your area by typing in your address. In most cases, clinics are free or charge a small fee, sometimes on a sliding scale. You may not get the help you need, but chances are they will be able to refer you to someone who can help. Community based organizations have vast connections in all areas of human need. Don't be proud.
While we wait for the politicians to bail out their rich lobbyist friends who got greedy when placing bets in the financial markets, the push for a national health insurance will falter, so take care of yourself. It's pretty hard to find a deal, but I've located some good places to start looking. Naturally, it's a handy thing to use a 'bot to drag in prices from various sources; don't get comfortable with the information they yield; sometimes they only source prices from vendors who pay to be included in their search. That's why the progress-oriented insurance company online advertises the lowest car insurance rates yet their comparison shopping doesn't include Geico, that caveman-cute company with the lizard spokesman with products hundreds of dollars cheaper. Here's some bot sites to get you started, but read the rest of my advice first.
First, decide what's most important to you. If you want to keep costs low and are relatively young and healthy, choose coverage with a low monthly payment and a high deductible. Or just buy major medical; you'll want just enough to cover you in case of emergencies. If you want a plan that reduces the cost of doctor's visits, prescriptions, and has a low deductible, don't be shocked at the cost. You will get more complete coverage with a stable company like Humana, who also offer codicils (little things they attach to bigger things like vision and dental). That can be a handy thing if you have a sweet tooth like me.
Here are a few places to start looking; take some time to sit down and appraise your needs, your family's needs and existing conditions or potential hereditary diseases. Remember that prices are limited by legislation, so determining factors like deductibles and coverage limits will be key to finding a monthly payment you can live with. A good thing is that all health care costs are 100% deductible on your income taxes, so it's not all bad. You don't have to make any more bad investments to have a decent tax write-off (you fat cat, you). Remember, if the monthly cost is too good to be true, you've either got a super high deductible or the coverage is extremely limited. Pay close attention to what's covered and what's not; especially pre-existing conditions or stuff hidden in your genes. You might not have it yet, but if Mom and Dad both had it, chances are good that it's in your future, too.
Here are a few ways to keep costs down:
- If you don't go to the doctor more than once a year, consider carrying only major medical for emergencies.
- Check with design trade and professional associations to see if they have a group plan. Even joining a group like the National Business Association of America will help provide group rates around $500 per month for a family of 4 with $10 co-pays. Rates will be lower and coverage will be guaranteed on pre-existing conditions if you are part of a group. Now here's something an AIGA membership should offer our community, but doesn't.
- Shop online. Insurance companies pay fewer broker fees when you deal direct.
- Find out if you're eligible to use a medical savings account (MSA). The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) makes certain allowances for the self-employed. This let's you enjoy benefits from a higher deductible insurance policy (with reduced premiums) and use pre-tax dollars to pay for expenses up to your deductible limit.
If you can't find health insurance because of a pre-existing condition, the HIPAA may help you obtain it. Here's a link that will help you find out if you live in one of 34 states who have some form of risk pool. You can also find additional information here.
If worse comes to worse and you find yourself in a hospital emergency room without insurance, remember (even if they don't) that you are a human being and have some inherent God-given rights to your dignity. Spit back if necessary, but don't give up your gurney.
Enjoy firsthand how people behave when working purely for material gain in a profession titled caregiver. You can recognize them by the big brick of resentment clinging to their weasel-like backs. You can't see it, though, if you have health insurance, because money makes them smile like prostitutes on a wet night. Ask me how I feel about it.
I'm not going to add a plug for my book because I'm currently doing a second edition that will contain an updated resource guide and assorted other goodies. I'll let you know when it's out. Thanks for reading, and if you want to hear me talk the talk of the walk I walk, well, there's my podcast at Douglas Eby's fantastic site Talent Development Resources Site. If nothing else, you'll get a good laugh. Don't harp at me about cliches--visually oriented people need them because words are never as succinct as visuals.
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Thank you so much for this blog - I needed a good place to start considering options as I move from my full-time position into my freelance/independent one - which I've been building up on the side for the last 8 years - but have been fearful to pull the trigger - partially due to security and benefits. This gives me some hope that I will be able to find some decent coverage if I dig deep enough.
I really feel your "pain". It is really unfortunate as to how hard it is to get help in the US. Without getting too political, it seems that we spend more time helping out countries and people outside of our borders than helping our own.
Useful comments on an essential topic, even more relevant than usual in the context of the current economic climate.
I guess society owes you free health care so you can 'freelance' your way through life.
SDK responds: No, Charles. Civilized society needs to live up to its name, recognize that every human being is a child of God and deserves basic necessities no matter what their shortcomings or choice of work. We all make our contributions to the world at large; whether freelance, indentured servants or idiot savants of the academic world. Certain economic inequities exist in our current set of values (like, it's not Star Trek yet) and until you can rectify those, everybody deserves to be given the benefit of the doubt and have access to medical care without being judged about how they choose to live or what their particular area of expertise is. I know more than a few fully employed individuals in fields that take years of study and degrees; yet they apprentice without health benefits. Michelangelo was freelance; so was Mozart. Both would be viewed as groveling charity cases in your world view.
Come to Canada! We don't care (too much) about skin coloUr. We do care about people. Public health care is a growing challenge, but one so definitely worth striving for.
I really feel your "pain". It is really unfortunate as to how hard it is to get help in the US. Without getting too political, it seems that we spend more time helping out countries and people outside of our borders than helping our own.
AIGA does offer health insurance discounts:
http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/health-insurance-discounts
SDK responds:
Not enough; if they want to wear that hat, they should offer the same kind of benefits as SAG, including the old folk's home.