What do freelancers do for health insurance?
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Hi All,
Has anyone joined Accenture early and recieved joining bonus.?
I have been recieving mail like if I can join in this month I will get bonus as well as notice period buy out amount reimbursement.
But they are not mentioning JB amount before I confirm them when I can join.
I have 11 fixed offer, how much I can receive JB if I join month early??
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McKinsey & Company What is the typical career progression for an average to above average performer at McKinsey? Would be helpful to get context on title and comp progression from undergrad to EM level.
Mainly asking bc I heard the two main paths are 2 years as BA > EM or out with the rare promotion to ASC for those who started out of undergrad. But 2 years to manager seems pretty difficult and how would BCG/Bain compete with that? McKinsey & Company
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Thoughts about Digitas Health?
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Start with the Obamacare marketplaces. They generally have the best prices, though the coverage is lacking.
Then find a Target, etc in the area that has one of those in-store medical offices. They staff RNs but the visits only cost like $40 or $50 and they can write prescriptions. That covers 90% of you medical needs right there.
We get out our kitchen silverware and knives and self operate!!! Duh!
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oh! i’ve got it. elect governments that care about you.
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Yeah but hard things are possible. Obama campaigned on Obamacare, which seemed idealistic at the time (like “hey let’s all sit around and hold hands and figure this out,”which seemed naive to the immense power insurance companies hold over government and people.) But then it happened.
Either you’re lucky enough to have a spouse with insurance or you use your state’s marketplace.
Marry rich ideally. If you can't, start with the ACA marketplace. Cobra is expensive but another option. Personally, I'm still looking for the rich spouse and crying as I pay my monthly marketplace premiums.
Move to Canada. Paying $1500 a month to cover my family
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In short, the emphasis about wait times is bs.
Wait times in Canada aren’t bad and are grossly exaggerated by US politicians, media personalities and commentators.
Take one example of visiting a walk in clinic. I waited just as long if not longer in Brooklyn than I would in Toronto.
Take other examples in my circle, like specialists or MRI. They’ll prioritize and expedite your visit based on the seriousness of your case. Your wait might be proportionate to the urgency. Still it’s usually only days or weeks. Not this months and months nonsense.
I have to consider the possibility that the monumental wealth and power of the insurance industry contributes to the spread of propoganda about wait times in socialized medical systems.
And anyway would you rather everyone wait a tad longer but receive the same level of care, or have people get sick and die because they can’t afford care. I know which society I would choose.
The one thing I’ll say is if you’re planning on being a digital nomad, finding insurance that is accepted across state lines is near impossible. I am spending the bulk of my year abroad, so I have GeoBlue which so far has been ok.
I exhausted my cobra then joined a labor union and now I get my insurance thru that.
I would very much appreciate the info too. Thank you in advance
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pocket the cash & roll the dice!
If your friend crashes her car and breaks her back she’s SOL.
Ha ha if things are so great in Canada, why are so many Canadians snowbirding in AZ? I've talked to many and they all say it's night and day. Health care is better here. Anytime you socialize something, you turn it into crap. Look at public schools, police, etc. Competition equals guaranteed quality. The best rise to the top.
For the person who said beware of brokers, of course use your critical thinking skills. If you're a woman and you sign up for a plan with no women's health benefit, not sure what to say. That's one of the first things I asked about--women's health. I have to wait 6 months for preventive care but after that all my screenings are covered. People just need to get used to being better consumers of health care. They spend more time researching and asking questions about their big screen TV than their health coverage.
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🤡🤡🤡
cobra from your previous company or marketplace
Watch out for brokers, though. In 99% of cases, their incentives do NOT align with yours. Your best bet is to get a marketplace plan—because at least you know it is ACA compliant. Doing your own research is difficult, but you should take the time to do it. I have seen so many new freelancers / newly independent consultants lose their savings and/or sanity by going with a plan a broker recommended. For example, a woman I know ended up with a plan that provides zero women’s health coverage, because it is a non-marketplace plan and does not have to be ACA compliant.
There are articles and podcast episodes detailing the weird, wild world of insurance broker remuneration (which includes things like brokers being given “perks” like vacations for meeting goals set by insurance companies) that are worth checking out.
Live in Canada, from what I can gather
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You pay similarly either way, unless you get seriously ill or injured which is the problem. Insurance payments in the US and taxation in Canada can be similar, except in Canada you pay the government instead of an insurance company, and you won’t be out of pocket for exceeding arbitrary limits for claims (there are no claims…), and claims won’t be rejected (you just leave the doctors, they bill the government). So the monthly insurance payments paid to insurance companies in the US, might be about the same as a portion of the monthly payroll deduction paid to the government in Canada, but that’s all you’ll be paying in Canada, with a few exceptions (dental, eye, drugs). And everyone receives the same level of care. And I don’t have to worry about my neighbour dying because they can’t afford to pay for treatments.
I stayed on my previous employers cobra bc it was cheaper and better coverage than both the marketplace and the option my W2 freelance employer offered. I paid one month of the W2 insurance, got hit with a $400 bill for meds that used to cost $10/mo and immediately started looking for an FTE role. Agencies are getting smart to the freelance dance and many only offer w2 to discourage you. Basically if you want to freelance for longer than cobra lasts, I would try to only take 1099s so you can charge more to cover the health insurance. Or you can get an HSA while you’re FTE and stuff that thing for when you go freelance and just get disaster coverage through the marketplace. Medicaid is actually pretty good in NY, but if you’re making actual money it’s hard to stay on. I’m legally disabled so the income threshold is higher for me to be able to stay on it, annnnnnd I still made too much.
I'm on Medicaid, but I know a lot of people make too much for that because it can be hard to qualify.
If you do freelance contract work for a company such as Aquent, they provide top-quality health, dental, vision insurance after 30 days ( and minimum of 20 hours a week) AND they subsidize the cost. It’s the best insurance I’ve ever had anywhere.
Blue cross. For 15 years and I’m union. Reality is cobra is a scam you pay double because half goes to your old ensurer. It’s no better.
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Herd immunity
Don’t get sick
Mine is through spouse/domestic partner. I have also done it through Cobra. If you have a ongoing medical condition, it is worth the money. Some out of network doctors are also good about billing high, but not expecting anything from you. It gets you through the high deductible. If you are live in NY, you are pretty much screwed. It reminds me of the days of HMOs and clinics in the 90s. Clinton Care destroyed the healthcare system.
I researched marketplace plans and it was soooo expensive I couldn't do it. The only people Obamacare worked out well for are the people who make so little money they get subsidies. I'm really glad that many more people now have access to health insurance. But they forgot the average person making average money. The marketplace just isn't affordable. I found something called a tri-care plan through an insurance broker. DM me if you want my broker's info--and no, I'm not affiliated in any way with the plans. Just sharing info no one on this thread seems to have--cheaper than cobra and the marketplace.