OwnBossHealth Publishes a Health Coverage Guide for Self-Employed and 1099 Workers
Tampa, Florida – October 31, 2026 – With the federal Open Enrollment period opening November 1, OwnBossHealth (ownbosshealth.com), an independent information and referral resource for self-employed, 1099 and small-business households, has published a plain-language guide to health coverage for people who work for themselves.
The guide is written for contractors and trades, freelancers and consultants, gig and delivery workers, and small-business owners covering themselves and their households on the individual market. Most of them meet the decision at a moment rather than on a schedule: a renewal that climbed, a job they left, or a birthday that ended a household member’s coverage.
The guide sets out the five routes most households without an employer plan choose among, and the main trade-off of each:
- A Marketplace plan, which can be joined only in Open Enrollment or after a qualifying life event. For 2026, there is no federal help with the premium above 400 percent of the poverty line. The same 400 percent line applies to 2027 coverage, the year this Open Enrollment is for.
- A private plan, which carries no subsidy and is often medically underwritten, so approval is not automatic.
- A short-term plan, a temporary bridge rather than comprehensive coverage.
- A health sharing ministry, which is not insurance.
- An HRA, which a business can set up to help pay for employees’ own individual coverage. Not every plan can be paid for through one, so it’s worth checking before setting one up.
“Everybody compares the monthly premium, and it’s the number that tells you the least about how a plan treats you when you actually use it. That’s why I’d rather walk through your situation with you than guess,” said Ryan Michalek, founder of Michalek Health Solutions, the licensed advisor OwnBossHealth refers readers to.
Readers who want help with their own situation can fill in a short form at ownbosshealth.com/quote/, which is not a medical questionnaire. It goes to Michalek Health Solutions (NPN 21043091). There is no fee to the reader. OwnBossHealth is compensated for referrals it sends to its licensed partner. Plan availability and features vary by state and eligibility.
The guide is available at ownbosshealth.com/self-employed/.
This is a solicitation for insurance.
About OwnBossHealth
OwnBossHealth is an independent information and referral resource that explains health-coverage options for self-employed, 1099 and small-business workers and connects readers to a licensed insurance advisor, Michalek Health Solutions (NPN 21043091). OwnBossHealth is not an insurance agency or carrier, and all quoting, advising on and binding of coverage is handled by the licensed advisor. It is compensated for referrals it sends to its licensed partner, and readers are not charged. OwnBossHealth is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency.
Media Contact
Company Name: OwnBossHealth
Contact Person: Ryan Michalek
Email: Send Email
Phone: (813) 833-7448
City: Tampa
State: Florida
Country: United States
Website: https://ownbosshealth.com
