Whether you call yourself a gig worker, a self-employed contractor, a freelancer, or simply “your own boss”, you already know the struggles of trying to get quality, affordable healthcare. Unfortunately, the main way to receive healthcare in the U.S. is through your employer. If you’re a gig worker, that’s not exactly an easy thing to do. To help take some of the work out of your search for health coverage, we’ve got a few great resources for you to utilize! Plus, we also include options for affordable care no matter what your health coverage situation is.‍

Association Health Plans‍

Also known as AHPs, these plans are a great place for gig workers to start. AHPs are a health coverage option that is offered to people with a common interest or who work in the same industry or profession. For the most part, AHPs operate like traditional health plans. You’ll receive a membership card, pay a monthly fee, and receive assistance from the AHP to pay for healthcare services. Just like any health plan, you’ll need to look into which AHPs you can join, what they do and don’t cover, and what other resources they might offer to help you find quality, affordable care. If you want to go more in-depth on Association Health Plans, we recommend checking out this article.‍

Health Share Plans‍

Health share plans, also known as health cost sharing groups, are a great option for gig workers because they aren’t tied to employment at all. Some health share plans are faith-based, but not all. Most do also require that members live “healthy” lives. That definition varies from plan to plan, so you’ll need to read the guidelines a health share provides before signing up to see if the plan is right for you. Health share plans are unique in that members are responsible for paying their own healthcare costs, but, if healthcare costs fall under what the health share has deemed “shareable” then you can submit a claim for the group to contribute funds to offset your own healthcare costs. Depending on the plan and the cost you submit, sometimes you can get completely reimbursed. A couple of great health share plans to consider are Sedera, Crowd Health, and Fellowship HealthShare.‍

Direct Primary Care‍

Direct Primary Care (DPC) is an excellent care solution for gig workers because they do not accept insurance. DPC is not only entirely cash pay, but also works on a subscription model. Just as you pay a monthly fee for Spotify or Hulu, you can pay a monthly fee to receive primary care. The other great thing about DPC is that your subscription pays for more than just unlimited primary care visits, it also pays for:

• Clinical or laboratory services 
• Consultative services 
• Care coordination 
• And comprehensive care management.

Even if you do have some form of health coverage, you can still see a DPC. They just won’t bill your health plan. The average monthly cost for a DPC is $93.26, making it a great deal when you consider all the above services that are included in the fee. You also get more time with the physician since DPCs have significantly less administrative work and papers to fill out since they cut out insurance. Bottom line: if you’re a gig worker and need affordable primary care, DPCs are the way to go.

Ambulatory Surgical Centers

Surgery and other procedures are already a little nerve-wracking without having to worry about the cost. For gig workers who don’t have health coverage, the idea of needing a procedure can seem like a catastrophe. That’s where Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs) come in to save the day. According to the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA):

“ASCs are highly regulated healthcare facilities that provide outpatient surgery and preventive care. For many healthcare  procedures, ASCs are the right choice for the right patients at  the right price.”

ASCs can perform many outpatient procedures such as:

• Joint replacement
• Minor joint procedures
• Colonoscopies
• Endoscopies
• And cataract removal, just to name a few.

The reason these are so great for gig workers is because ASCs are significantly more affordable than hospitals. One study found that outpatient surgery centers can be 45-60% less expensive than hospitals. And another found that procedures done in ASCs cost 144% less than the average price for common procedures done in hospitals’ outpatient departments. And if the more affordable price tag wasn’t enough, one found that patients also spend 26% less time when they get their procedure in an ASCs instead of a hospital.‍

Final thoughts.‍

Just because you aren’t employed by a full-time employer doesn’t mean you don’t deserve quality, affordable healthcare. It’s entirely possible for gig workers to obtain affordable health coverage and quality healthcare services through the tips mentioned in this blog.