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The Practice Management Knowledge Community (PMKC) identifies and develops information on the business of architecture for use by the profession to maintain and improve the quality of the professional and business environment.  The PMKC initiates programs, provides content and serves as a resource to other knowledge communities, and acts as experts on AIA Institute programs and policies that pertain to a wide variety of business practices and trends.

    

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Healthcare For Sole Practitioners

  • 1.  Healthcare For Sole Practitioners

    Posted 03-19-2018 04:33 PM
    Do any sole practitioners have any recommendations for Health Insurance for a one-person office beyond Healthcare.gov?  Simply Insured, the other option listed on the AIA Trust website is for group coverage only which of course, by definition sole practitioners are not.  I have recently been told by an insurance broker that none of the major insurance companies will write a policy for a single person.

    According to the Small Firm Compensation Report 2018, 20% of small firms are solo architects so I hope that we are not all in a similar situation.  I also suspect that this may be a major reason why a sole practitioner decides to close shop.  Has anyone come across a viable option for healthcare for the truly small firms?

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    Mark Curfman AIA
    Principal
    Urban Architecture Studio, LLC
    Leawood KS
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  • 2.  RE: Healthcare For Sole Practitioners

    Posted 03-20-2018 05:24 PM
    I hate to say it, but the only way I have health insurance is through my husband's company. Even when I was partnered with two other architects, finding "group" insurance was hard to come by. We had two of the three of us covered, but I'm not really sure how. Good luck!

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    Lawrence Paschall AIA
    President/CEO
    Spotted Dog Architecture
    Dallas TX
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  • 3.  RE: Healthcare For Sole Practitioners

    Posted 03-21-2018 06:32 PM

    What about, paying yourselves a minimum stipend and "leasing yourselves" through an employee leasing company. That way I believe not only do you qualify for health insurance but belong to a larger group.

     

    Guillermo Monter,

     






  • 4.  RE: Healthcare For Sole Practitioners

    Posted 03-20-2018 05:28 PM
    Ask your broker if you have two officers, could each get coverage under a group policy.

    If your corporation (if you have one) has more than one officer, you may be able to get coverage.(And you can get creative as to who those officers are.)

    Don't know if it would help you out financially or not

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    Betsy Nickless
    Mark Scheurer Architect, Inc.
    SDA-Orange County Chapter
    Newport Beach CA
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  • 5.  RE: Healthcare For Sole Practitioners

    Posted 03-20-2018 05:37 PM
    I found that the local Chamber of Commerce has a group that small businesses can join in order to get Health Insurance.

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    Bruce Spiewak AIA
    Principal
    Bruce J. Spiewak, AIA, Consulting Architect, LLC
    West Haven CT
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  • 6.  RE: Healthcare For Sole Practitioners

    Posted 03-20-2018 05:47 PM

    I use MediShare, and it has been great! It is costing me $514/mo for the family plan. I am not certain if the link below will come through. Feel free to contact me if you have any specific questions.

    http://bit.ly/2tdZReW

     

     

    Daniel L Edgell AIA, NCARB

    PRESIDENT

     

    SANDBAR ARCHITECTURE

    1162 Rolling Oaks Ave

    Tarpon Springs, FL 34689

    727 308 1773

     






  • 7.  RE: Healthcare For Sole Practitioners

    Posted 03-21-2018 05:34 PM
    Hands down the way to go with health insurance is through non-insurance company groups. Used to pay $900+/month for family of 3 about 5 years ago with $15K deductible. Now on Christian Healthcare ministries(CHministries.org) at $145/month for $5K deductible(ObamaCare approved).
    Had retinal detachment surgery($32K) last year and they paid all the bills as stated.-Best decision saving $$$ each month with same doctors and provider care.

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    Keith Thomas AIA
    Thomas Design International
    Orlando FL
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  • 8.  RE: Healthcare For Sole Practitioners

    Posted 03-20-2018 06:42 PM
    I have coverage through the ACA which State Farm helped me get. Before having my local office help me with paperwork, a free SF service, I checked Blue Cross Blue Shield for an individual policy. Same cost.
    My recommendation is to go through ACA.




  • 9.  RE: Healthcare For Sole Practitioners

    Posted 03-20-2018 11:40 PM
    One of my employees and I have Liberty Health Share, base in Ohio. It qualifies as being 'insured' under Obama care law, but is not really conventional insurance. It has ended up working for us to reduce healthcare insurance (being healthy & not usually going to doctors) but we've now kept it as a secondary insurance. You are required to have 75% of a small firm employees who either are on the office group plan or covered by spouse or their own plan in order to qualify for a group plan (a health Share plan does not satisfy this requirement).

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    Lawrence Schreiber AIA
    President
    Lawrence S. Schreiber, AIA-Architect
    Lakewood, NJ
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  • 10.  RE: Healthcare For Sole Practitioners

    Posted 03-21-2018 04:52 AM
    I am not aware of any other options and it is a big hit!

    Joyce Jilek, AIA
    4U Architectural Solutions LLC
    720.232.5478
    Sent from my iPhone





  • 11.  RE: Healthcare For Sole Practitioners

    Posted 03-22-2018 05:28 PM

    I would recommend that you look into a PEO (Professional Employer Service).  Payroll companies like ADP or Engage offer this service, which will provide a number of services to small businesses, including access to healthcare through their network.

    ADP Professional Employer Organization Services (PEO) | HR Outsourcing | ADP

    Engage PEO

    Good luck, 



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    Darin Reynolds AIA, LEED AP BD+C
    Partner
    COOKFOX Architects, DPC
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