Health Insurance
This is just me venting. My head hurts.
I work freelance and part-time for my company (which will remain unnamed in this post). Because I work for 3 different parts of my company (R&D, tutoring, teaching), my taxes are a bit of a mess: Each part counts as a different job. In addition, I don’t get health insurance, because I’m considered a part-time worker (teaching, tutoring), and also a freelance worker (R&D: writing/editing the company’s books and other materials). So, even when I’ve worked 40+ hours a week (sometimes 60+) for my company, I’m still not considered “full-time”.
For the last 5 years, I’ve gone without health insurance. I’m fairly healthy (hardly ever get sick, don’t require any medications/treatments). But, I’m also 30, and should stop living my life in the hope that nothing bad happens.
Here are my options:
Company’s Part-Time Health Insurance Plan: Is a joke. You end up paying more in a year than they will pay out. The plan pays for so little that, if I were in an accident, it would not help. It would only be useful if I used between $2,000 and $5,000 worth of medical care. In the benefits explanation pamphlet, the first page has a large notice that says: “This plan does not fulfill the requirements of Obama’s Affordable Care Act.” So, in 2 years, it will likely go away, to be replaced with…nothing?
Freelancer’s Health Insurance: Don’t qualify, but just barely. To qualify, you must be in certain eligible industries, and must make over a certain amount in those industries. Apparently the money I make as a writer counts, but the money I make as a tutor does not. Which is strange, because nearly every other freelance job (nanny, graphic design, tech, programmer, editor, etc) is covered. So, most of the money I make doesn’t count toward my “proof of employment.” And the money I make as a writer is too erratic, project by project: In the last 6 months, I didn’t make enough solely as a writer to qualify. But, had I filled it out 6 months ago, then I would have made enough.
Healthy NY: NY has lower-cost insurance plans available. $200-300 a month for most of them. High-deductible, so they’re mostly about paying for catastrophes, which is exactly what I’m worried about. Unfortunately, I make too much money to be eligible.
Other Insurance: The non-Healthy NY plans cost around $1500-$2000 dollars per month. In other words, they cost more for a year’s worth of coverage than most people make in a year. So, just to be clear: I make too much for the affordable plans. I can’t afford the plans which are one step up from that.
This is problem with company-based health care. My company is not concerned with my health care. My company is concerned with its stock price.
By the way, I used to have health care when I worked in a stock room The Container Store. I also had health care when I made doughnuts for Top Pot Doughnuts. But in my current job I don’t get health care. And by the way: I’m good at my job. Very good. You know when people say “I wrote the book?” I wrote the book for GRE prep. And I wrote or edited most of my company’s books on SAT prep. And, actually most tests. My company charges exorbitant amounts of money to people who retain my services as a tutor.
But I’m uninsured, and tired of being exploited.
