The nature of a new job offer is a very challenging one for me. I dont know if I should accept it or not. The company wants to hire me with a nice salary but as an independent contractor. I am a type 1 diabetic on the omni-pod and have had cigna for years. I know there has to be something out there for people like us who need their insulin, strips, and supplies. Any suggestions?
This is such a difficult situation. Do they want you to work on a 1099 basis? Or is it a W2 with no benefits?
I was an independent contractor for a few years, and insurance was the biggest challenge I faced. Initially, I utilized COBRA, so that I could continue with the insurance my previous employer offered. However, COBRA is very expensive (you pay the premiums in full), so I didn’t do that for very long.
I went without insurance for a while (after stockpiling pump, testing supplies, and insulin), but that got dangerous. So, I finally took a job with benefits, and hated it. I really enjoyed freelancing, but I NEEDED health insurance. In the end, I quit that job and married my fiance almost six months early (we went to the courthouse and told no one - we still had our big wedding later) so that I could get on his insurance.
Anyway, I would ask the prospective employer if they offer health insurance for independent contractors. Even if they don’t pay any of the premiums, at least you can’t be rejected for having a pre-existing condition.
If not, I would attempt to work the cost of COBRA or other insurance programs into your rate. Also, if you’re married, and your wife works, you could get on her insurance. Changing jobs is considered a “qualified change,” so it’s one of the few times that you can enroll outside of a normal enrollment period.
If you do not get benefits through an employer (or your wife’s employer) your options are a igh risk pool if your state has one (they run about the same as COBRA) or a health plan like Cinergy which will not offer as much coverage and cost share. Once an insurance company hears you were diagnosed with diabetes you do not qualify for private insurance.
Check for one of those cash clinics that let you have unlimited visits to doctors for a monthly fee (something like $49 here), and they then charge for labs, and other services. No endo, but you could get 'scripts.
If you still have your current job, you may want to keep it.
Remember, you will have to pay 15.6% in social security and medicare taxes in addition to 10-32% in income taxes on your independent “wages”. Also, you can’t contract for long term, right? You would be the first to go. No unemployment benefits if you leave (after prior work time no longer counts for unemployment), no L&I benefits…
If it is your dream job, and you can save up for an emergency, go for it!
On my Tu Diabetes page there is a question. What do I do for a living? My answer was “I work for insurance!!!” One of my main worries of dealing with my diabetes is. “What would I do if I did not have insurance?” “Will I have a job that will be able to provide affordable coverage to pay for my medical expenses?”. I know that insurance is a part of my life that is sometimes as important as my insulin and strips. That is a big decision that only you can make. A decision that I definetly would cringe at.