When Freelancers Union started offering health insurance to members in 2001, it marked a new phase for the organization: independent workers began to see the benefits of coming together in a group, and Freelancers Union began a project that would ultimately lead to financial self-sufficiency. But why health insurance? Because in a survey of independent workers, Freelancers Union learned that the high cost of insurance and lack of coverage make up the number one concern of people in nontraditional work arrangements. The organization responded by giving freelancers what they want: access to health insurance, even without an employer-sponsored plan.