> I'm starting to look into insurance options (health and dental) and am > wondering what other self-employed tech writers are doing. I will have > insurance for six months, and then I'm on my own (unless I want to pay COBRA > rates...).
Part of it will depend on the state where you live. For example, in Massachusetts, no one can be required to wait for health insurance because of pre-existing conditions, but anyone who is self-employed must belong to a "group" (we belong to a businessman's association through the local Chamber of Commerce). And dental insurance wasn't worth it. The limits of what they'd cover in a year pretty much aligned with the payments, so we don't have it. Also, each state has its own requirements. I believe that, in Massachusetts, only insurance companies with a physical presence in the state can do business here. Therefore, the insurance plans listed through the STC don't do me any good...they don't cover us. Finally, if your income is under a certain amount, you may be eligible for state-provided insurance (if your state offers it). And your kids may be eligible, even if you aren't. Oh, one last thing. Again, depending on the state, plus the various settings (like co-pays, ER co-pays, prescription plan, etc.) the rates might be anywhere from "I can afford that" to "you've got to be kidding". HTH! Char James-Tanny ~ JTF Associates, Inc. ~ http://www.helpstuff.com ---------------------------------------------------------- Please send follow-up questions to the list. (Inquires sent off-list may not be seen.) Contact me directly (CharJT at helpstuff dot com) with business inquiries. ---------------------------------------------------------- 2006-2007 Microsoft Help MVP Find a Help Authoring Tool at HAT-Matrix.com ~ http://hat-matrix.com Co-author of "Managing Virtual Teams" ~ http://www.wordware.com/wiki AuthorIT Certified Consultant, Development, and Training STC Secretary, 2006-2008 Web site Hosting and Design ~ http://www.jtfhosting.com ______________________________________________ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. DOCUMENTATION & TRAINING WEST 07: THE USER EXPERIENCE April 18-21, 2007 ~ Vancouver BC ~ Marriott Pinnacle ~ free city tour 40+ sessions * free workshops * free iPod offer * www.doctrain.com _______________________________________________ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
