Health Insurance for Gig Workers and Rideshare Drivers

Your income is the problem and the opportunity

Marketplace subsidies are based on your net income for the year, which for a gig worker is gross payouts minus mileage and expenses. Many drivers who gross a healthy number net much less after the mileage deduction, which can push them squarely into subsidy range. Others stack several apps, net well, and would owe subsidy money back at tax time. The first thing I do is look at last year's Schedule C with you.

Your three options

1. Marketplace plan. Guaranteed acceptance, priced on income. Often the best deal if your net income is modest. Watch the network; many marketplace plans are county-based HMOs.
2. Private PPO plan. Medically underwritten, year-round enrollment, usually a national network. Fits healthy drivers with solid income who want to pick their own doctors and not re-estimate income every few months.
3. A spouse's employer plan. If it exists, compare it first. Family rates on employer plans are sometimes heavily subsidized and sometimes not at all.

Protect the thing that earns the money

A broken wrist or a back injury takes you off the road for weeks with zero income. Accident protection and short-term disability are cheap for someone your age and they pay cash directly to you. For gig workers I bring this up on every call, because the health plan alone does not replace lost fares.

Premiums are deductible

If you file as self-employed, your health premiums are generally deductible up to your net profit. That applies to private plans too. Your tax preparer handles the form; I set up the coverage so it qualifies.

Enrolling without a gap

You can apply for a private plan any week of the year. If you just lost a marketplace subsidy because your income climbed, you do not have to wait for November. Send me your zip code, a rough net income figure and any medications, and I will run both prices in one call.