Self-Employed: Has anyone joined NASE?

[fopt65]

HIP. MDNY just pulled ou of the market for self employed.
If you didn't have health insurance for a year, you could buy it on a sliding scale premium from Healthy NY. It is subsidized by the state of NY and uses existing insurance companies like GHI.

You could also buy insurance via a group. I belong to a group, pay $35 a year to join, and get about a one to two hundred dollar amount decrease in my premium compared to if I bought the policy as an individual.

[Armatur]

Groups can be a good way to go if you can find one worth getting involved with. I'm self-employed and when I lived in CA I got group health insurance through the Bay Area Media Alliance (Healthnet). The premiums weren't cheap but as someone with a chronic health issue, they came through when needed and that was the most important thing to me. The fact that I was able to obtain decent health insurance with major pre-existing issues and being self-employed was a miracle in my mind.

When I moved to AZ, I was also able to get group insurance due to the fact that AZ is very pro-business and recognizes groups of one for their insurance plans. Through my AZ provider (AZ Foundation for Medical Care which is part of the Healthcare Group of AZ), I have the same medical insurance one of my doctors has. They've been great. Again, not cheap (about $527 a month), but worth the $$ as far as I have been able to determine.

I am now moving to another state (Idaho) and while it has every imaginable thing I want as a place to live and make a life, I'm finding that my insurance options are pretty much nil. Well, not nill (there is the state run high risk pool) but nothing in comparison to the coverage I've had. At the moment I'm doing my best to find some sort of trade organization or association that I can pick up another group plan through but at this point, no luck. It's very disappointing... I won't let the insurance issue stop me from making the move but I'll tell you, it makes it a hell of a lot more scary to someone in my position.

Anyway, sorry...didn't mean to take over the thread. Just wanted to put my two cents in on the merits of group insurance for the self-employed. I highly recommend it if you can find it and if there's ANYONE here from Idaho that has any ideas for me, please speak up!

[npumcrisz]

Are there any websites where one could find a group to join? At $35/year with a hundred(s) dollars reduced in the premium that's a good bargain

[fopt65]

The one I'm with is limited to Long Island due to the geographical area of the policies. If interested let me know, and I'll PM you their site.

[npumcrisz]

Originally Posted by fopt65

The one I'm with is limited to Long Island due to the geographical area of the policies. If interested let me know, and I'll PM you their site.

Sh*t LI only. Thanks though for trying to help.

[jhlcomp]

Not to go off-topic - if you can get your payroll done by a company such as ADP, they provide a wealth of services including health insurance that makes life much, much easier. Or any other PEO (Professional Employer Organization). Yes, even if there is only 1 person in the company.

[fopt65]

Originally Posted by npumcrisz

Sh*t LI only. Thanks though for trying to help.

Did you try Healthy NY? Its done via the state and is on a sliding scale depending on your income.

Also, do you belong to any trade associations? Sometimes they have policies.

[b75]

Is there any way to add an employee to your company? If you have 2 working for your corporation I think you may be eligible for different group rates....

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by npumcrisz

Please explain what do you mean by HSA?

An HSA is a Health Savings Account. You can put money into this account, most banks offer it, to be used for medical expenses. Many companies have moved to this type of plan putting in premium dollars they would have spent on more expensive coverages into accounts for employees. You generally get a debt card to pay for medical treatments, dr appts., etc. and then if you have a major medical issue, surgery, your major medical plan steps in.

[Kenlew]

RUN! Hollywood is right. I looked at NASE and their rep was deceptive (left a lot of info off the application) and then another agent called and tried to use another company name to get us to sign up, but we found out it was the same people (Megalife).