New Healthcare Plans Offered for the Self-Employed

The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) and UnitedHealthcare’s Golden Rule Insurance Company have teamed up to offer new personal health insurance choices to entrepreneurs, micro-business owners and other self-employed businesspeople in 20 states and Washington, D.C.

The new comprehensive health plans for individuals and families are offered in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. North Carolina and West Virginia are expected to be added in March of this year.

Health insurance options include co-pay plans similar to traditional employer-sponsored coverage as well as high deductible health plans that work in tandem with health savings accounts (HSAs). Golden Rule pioneered the HSA concept more than 15 years ago. Today, nearly one-third of Golden Rule’s current customers are covered by HSA plans because of the premium savings, tax advantages and control over health care spending these accounts offer.

NASE members choosing one of the health plans also will have access to UnitedHealthcare’s extensive network of more than 600,000 physicians and health care professionals and 5,000 hospitals. Network discounts can result in additional savings to consumers, even before they meet their annual deductibles.

Established in 1981, the NASE is the largest nonprofit, nonpartisan association in the United States that provides day-to-day support, benefits and consolidated buying power for the self-employed and micro-business owners.

“The NASE has a long history of advocating for lower costs, increased access and parity for the self-employed when it comes to health coverage,” said Robert Hughes, NASE president. “But our members and all micro-business owners need options today that provide both choice and meaningful coverage. The new NASE/Golden Rule plans offer just that.”

According to the U.S. Census, more than 10 million entrepreneurs and micro-business owners with fewer than 10 employees reside in the 20 states and District of Columbia included in today’s announcement.

”We are pleased to work with NASE to make quality health insurance coverage available for the large number of self-employed men and women who are dealing with rising health care costs in a difficult economy,” said Richard A. Collins, Golden Rule CEO and president of UnitedHealthcare’s individual line of business. “NASE members will find a choice of quality health insurance plans as well as a wide range of deductibles, enhancements and optional benefits so coverage can be tailored to meet each family’s unique health care and budget needs.”