Health insurance for 1099 contractors and gig workers
Your income moves, nobody hands you a benefits packet, and the plan you pick has to survive a slow month. I help independent contractors get covered, keep the credit honest, and stay insured between jobs.
Free. Never a fee. 7 days a week, 8 a.m.–10 p.m. ET.
Three things a W-2 employee never has to think about
NO HR DEPARTMENT
You are the benefits department now
Nobody enrolls you, explains a deductible, or fixes a billing problem. That is my job, seven days a week.
INCOME THAT MOVES
Your income is an estimate until the year ends
The Marketplace credit is based on what you expect to earn this year. Paid per job, that number moves. I show you how to estimate it fairly and update it.
GAPS BETWEEN CONTRACTS
Coverage should not end when a contract does
The gap between contracts feels like a layoff. There are ways to stay insured without overpaying.
Estimating income for the credit when you are paid per job
The premium tax credit on HealthCare.gov is figured on your modified adjusted gross income for the coverage year. If you are self-employed, that means net profit after expenses, not the total on your 1099s. Report the bigger number and your monthly credit shrinks, so you carry more of the premium than you need to until tax time.
You do not have to get it perfect. Give an honest estimate when you apply, then update it on HealthCare.gov when it changes. The credit is settled up on your tax return, so a current estimate keeps surprises small.
The enhanced credits from the pandemic years expired December 31, 2025, and Congress did not extend them. The original income cap is back: above 400% of the federal poverty level, a Marketplace plan is full price. For 2026 coverage that line is $62,600 for one person and $84,600 for two.
Source: KFF; 2025 HHS poverty guidelines, which set 2026 eligibility. Alaska and Hawaii differ.
If your net profit lands near that line, deductions matter. The self-employed health insurance deduction on IRS Schedule 1 exists. Ask your tax professional whether it applies to you.
Why healthy contractors often get a private quote, and what I will not hide
If your net profit qualifies you for a credit, the Marketplace with that credit usually wins, and that is where I start. Above the income line, a Marketplace plan at full price can be hard to carry on contractor income. That is why healthy 1099 workers are often quoted a private underwritten plan. Applications are open year-round, and the price is based on your health as well as your age and ZIP code.
Here is the part some agents skip. A private plan is not guaranteed issue and it is not ACA coverage. The carrier reads your medical history and can decline you, charge more, or exclude a condition. If you have real medical history, the Marketplace is the right door, and I will say so on the first call.
When the Marketplace wins
- You have a condition or prescription a carrier would price against.
- Your net profit qualifies you for a credit.
- You want coverage that cannot decline you or exclude a condition.
When a private plan wins
- You are healthy and your income is above the credit line.
- You need coverage now, outside open enrollment, with no qualifying event.
- You want a plan priced on your health, not your ZIP code alone.
Staying covered when one contract ends and the next has not started
If you just left a W-2 job and went 1099, losing that employer coverage is a qualifying life event. It opens a special enrollment period on the Marketplace outside the normal window.
COBRA is an option, but read the price first. It usually means paying the full premium plus up to a 2% administration fee, and it typically lasts 18 months. For a healthy contractor, a Marketplace plan with a credit or a private plan is often the better math.
Open enrollment for 2027 coverage on HealthCare.gov runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Enroll by December 15 for a January 1 start. Private plans do not follow that calendar.
Source: CMS (open enrollment dates); federal COBRA rules (full premium plus up to 2% fee, typically 18 months).
Things to ask about. A job-site injury hits harder when nobody pays you sick leave. Ask me what your health plan does and does not cover for accidents, and about dental, vision, and life if you want them. I will explain what each does and does not do, nothing more.
Three steps, no pressure
A real conversation. Tell me what you do, how you get paid, who needs to be on the plan, and any health history. About 15 minutes on the phone, no forms yet.
I run the numbers both ways. Marketplace with any credit your net profit qualifies you for, and if you are healthy, a private quote. You see both side by side.
You decide, I enroll you, and I stay your contact. When a contract ends, your income changes, or a bill looks wrong, you call me. Not a call center.
Guides for the work you do
Deeper reading, from the free matching service I built.
What 1099 contractors ask me
What income do I put on the application if I am 1099?
Your best estimate of net profit after expenses for the coverage year, not gross receipts. Update it on HealthCare.gov when it changes.
What happens if I earn more than I estimated?
The credit is settled up on your tax return. Updating your application when income rises can keep that adjustment smaller. Ask your tax professional how repayment works in your case.
Can I get a private plan with a pre-existing condition?
Sometimes, but the carrier can decline you, charge more, or exclude that condition. With real medical history, the Marketplace is the right door.
I lost my company plan when I went 1099. Do I wait for open enrollment?
No. Losing employer coverage is a qualifying life event that opens a special enrollment period. Private plans take applications year-round.
Do you charge contractors a fee?
Never. Carriers pay me a commission. Your price is the same whether you use me or apply alone.
Get covered before the next contract starts
Call my direct line or book a time.
I am licensed in 17 states. If you are somewhere else, Browse Health Plans, the free price tool I built, shows your county's prices and a licensed advisor follows up.
Free. Never a fee. 7 days a week, 8 a.m.–10 p.m. ET.