I took a big risk two years ago. I quit a stable job to start my own business. What I didn’t realize was how difficult it would be to get decent health insurance once I was self-employed. New York is better than most states, with our large freelance community, but making a decision about the type of health care I could get was very simply defined by what I could afford as an individual. What I could afford ended up being a basic scheme from a health insurance provider who my doctor once accepted but soon dropped because in her words, “My practice can’t survive on the rates they are paying.” Wouldn’t it be great if there was a pool insurance I could buy into at a “reasonable” rate as a registered entrepreneur? Wouldn’t it be nice if I could spend less time worried about my health coverage (and praying I don’t get REALLY sick) and more time creating innovative ideas for my business and for New York? I think so. :)
Reshma Saujani
Your story is one of the many reasons we need to pass a health care bill that opens up the markets, drives down costs — for both individuals and the government — and increases competition. There is no reason that people taking a risk and trying to start a business shouldn’t be able to afford decent health insurance.
john
All the high costs in healthcare are because of government regulation. Government does not fix problems, it creates them. Allow insurance companies to sell across state lines (not just have a corporate entity in each state, but allow blue cross georgia to sell a policy to you in NY) and you’ll drive cost down with competition. Government is not the answer, it’s the problem. Vote LIbertarian.
Megha Desai
I couldn’t agree more with Trina – Even as a freelancer, managing my healthcare, in an affordable way, consumes so much of my time, energy and resources. My work as a freelancer gives me the opporutunty to hire others – but I am pigeon-holed into only hiring people that are employed by other companies, as I cannot afford to offer anyone else healthcare (let alone myself at times!). This prevents me from giving people that aren’t already currently employed, new jobs! In the spirit of helping to employ others – I would love access to a reasonably priced healthcare option that I myself can use, and can offer to those people I’d like to give jobs! Organizations like the Freelancers Union that offer healthcare plans are a mess – and most are dissatisfied with the care they provide. Health care reform needs to seriously consider an option for Entrepreneurs if it is serious about creating jobs in New York City. I am not well versed in the current health care debate to offer a solution – but I like Reshma’s idea of properly opening up the market to drive down costs, increase competition for government, corporate and individual options. (As I don’t want to receive health care in exchange for someone who makes less then I do, not being able to afford any.)
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