This blog post was made in collaboration with Washington Healthplanfinder and all my opinions are my own.

Are you looking for health insurance as a freelancer in Washington State? Here are a few things to look out for if you’re shopping for health insurance for the first time.

I decided to take my blog and Instagram full-time last year. While it was my original dream to take content creation full-time next summer, getting laid off from my corporate job of 6 years was the push I needed to leap into the next chapter of my career. Being a freelancer has given me the flexibility and the opportunities to work with some of my favorite brands. However, being a freelancer also means that I’ve had to figure out what my health care coverage was going to look like.

My involuntary lay-off package outlined that my current health insurance would be subsidized for the first 3 months at $55/month. While my health insurance was laid out for me as a laid-off aerospace employee, I know other freelancers may not have the same situation. If you’re a freelancer (content creator, blogger, photographer, graphic designers, etc.) or self-employed in Washington State, you can use Washington Healthplanfinder to help you find the right health insurance plan for your life and goals.

What is Washington Healthplanfinder?

Washington Healthplanfinder is a state-based exchange. It’s a marketplace for Washington State residents, both individuals and families, to find, compare and enroll in health care, dental plans, and Medicaid (Washington Apple Health).

When can you sign up for a healthcare plan?

Open enrollment is open from November 1st to December 15th for coverage that begins on January 1, 2022.

How can you browse and sign up for healthcare plan?

You can research and compare plans on Washington Healthplanfinder’s website and the WAPlanfinder mobile app – available on Apple and Google Play/Android

Here are a few things to look out for when looking for health insurance for the first time as a freelancer:

The Four Metal Categories:

Did you know that there are 4 categories of health insurance plans? As a freelancer or a self-employed businessperson, there might be one category that works best for your health and lifestyle. While these different plans have nothing to do with the quality of care, they do have to do with how you plan to split the cost for health care.

Bronze:

  • Lowest monthly premium
  • Highest cost when you need care – this means that deductibles for this plan may require you to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket before your insurance plan kicks in

Silver

  • High monthly premiums
  • Low cost when you need care – these plans have lower deductibles than both bronze and silver

Gold

  • High monthly premiums
  • Low cost when you need care – these plans have lower deductibles than both bronze and silver

Platinum

  • Highest monthly premium
  • Lowest cost when you get care – these plans have the lowest deductibles which means your insurance plan will kick in earlier than others

Deductible

A deductible is the amount you personally pay for covered health care services before your insurance plan kicks in and covers the rest. For example, a $6,000 deductible means you have to pay $6,000 out of pocket before your insurance plan picks up the rest of your medical costs.

Premium

When you’re researching and comparing health insurance plans, you’ll see the “Est. Premium”. This is the amount that you pay for health insurance each month. This cost doesn’t include copayments, coinsurance, or other out-of-pocket costs.

Estimated total yearly cost

It’s important to remember that your monthly premium is not the only cost of your health insurance. The estimated total yearly cost helps remind you that there are other out-of-pocket costs like copays, prescriptions, etc. that you might incur during the year.

Copayment or “copays”

After you’ve met your deductible, copayment Is the fixed amount you pay for health care coverage.

If you’re shopping for health insurance for the first time and all of this seems really overwhelming, Washington Healthplanfinder can help you navigate potential plans that support your needs with:

Virtual Help and In-Person Enrollment Centers

You can find either an insurance broker or navigator to help you get enrolled or answer any questions before you choose a plan. There are navigators and insurance brokers available across Washington State that can provide assistance.

I hope sharing Washington Healthplanfinder and breaking down terms like copays and premiums helped you understand the process of finding a health insurance plan as a freelancer and empowers you to take that step forward.

What other tips do you have for finding health insurance as a freelancer?

Thank you for reading!

Love,

Emma