The Major Pitfalls of Obtaining Your Own Health Insurance

Posted on September 25, 2014 Updated on September 25, 2014

I try to stay positive on this site, but my recent health care fiasco left me struggling to take deep breaths to calm down, attempting not to scream as a result of my frustration.

I recently transitioned from working full time for an employer to becoming my own boss. It’s had its ups and downs for sure. The work, at least initially, can be sporadic, so it’s difficult to determine specifically how much you’ll actually make monthly much less annually. The first year of self-employment is not as steady as the second year, I’m told. I certainly hope so.

I found that I make too much money to qualify for Medi-Cal, which is not a bad problem to have. Yet, because there is still three months remaining in the year, and having just started my freelance practice, I cannot accurately predict how much I stand to make. So, I’ve been searching for a health plan that fits my wallet, and I wanted to be reasonably conservative.

Going cheap definitely has its pitfalls. I was asked how often I go to the doctor, but the plan that was the most attractive in terms of cost only gave me the option (and hope) to visit one up to two times within one calendar year. The insurance plans that are most affordable to healthy young adults include incredibly high deductibles. In other words, you basically don’t really have insurance. Often times you are required to pay $2,000 or more out of pocket within the year before your benefit finally kicks in. Say What?! Read the rest of this entry »