Hey freelancers, if you want your coverage to start January 1, December 20 is the national deadline for choosing a plan.

Whether you choose a plan through Freelancers Union or not, it’s best to make your decision by December 15 in order to ensure seamless coverage for 2015. If you choose a new plan after December 20, your coverage will begin February 1.

Here are some of the key actions you can take before the December 20 deadline:

If you want to keep the plan Freelancers Union suggests for you:

It’s easy! Just pay your January bill by December 31 and you will have coverage starting January 1.

If you want to add or remove a dependent:

1. Log in to Freelancers Union and select "Manage my Insurance" from the "My Account" dropdown.

2. You may be directed to create a new, secure password. *Note: Your old password WILL NOT WORK. You must create a brand new password.

3. Click "Change or Add a Plan".

4. On the righthand side, click "Add a Dependent".

5. Follow the prompts to add or remove a dependent.

If you want to switch to a different plan with us, including plans with access to Freelancers Medical:

1. Log in to Freelancers Union and select "Manage my Insurance" from the "My Account" dropdown.

2. You may be directed to create a new, secure password. *Note: Your old password WILL NOT WORK. You must create a brand new password.

3. Click "Change or Add a Plan".

4. On the right side of the following page, click "Change or Add a Plan" again. The following page will list your suggested 2015 plan.

5. Go to “New Plan Option”, select the name of the new plan you want in the drop-down, and press “CHANGE PLAN.”

6. If you want to select a plan with access to Freelancers Medical, simply select a plan with “FM” in the plan name.

7. And you’re all set! Your change will not show up right away in the portal, but no worries -- it’s just getting processed. You will receive an email confirmation within 72 hours. Remember, you must make this change before December 20 in order to ensure you are enrolled for January with the changes in place.

If you want to cancel your coverage with us:

1. Log in to Freelancers Union and select "Manage my Insurance" from the "My Account" dropdown.

2. You may be directed to create a new, secure password. *Note: Your old password WILL NOT WORK. You must create a brand new password.

3. Click "Change or Add a Plan".

4. Go to “Coverage” in the top navigation and select “Discontinue Insurance” in the dropdown.

5. Select Health and press “Discontinue Coverage”.

6. And you’re all set! Your cancellation will not show up right away in the portal, but no worries -- it’s just getting processed. You will receive an email confirmation within 72 hours.

You can find additional coverage options at the New York State of Health marketplace.

Think you might be eligible for a subsidy or aren't sure?

You can check here at the New York State of Health Marketplace calculator. If you are eligible or think you might be eligible, you can contact the marketplace directly to purchase a plan or ask questions about financial assistance.

We also have certified representatives available to help you enroll in a subsidy-eligible Empire BlueCross BlueShield plan on the New York State of Health Marketplace.

If you have any other questions, please get in touch at membership@freelancersunion.org or at 800.856.9981. You can also see our post on “Everything Freelancers Need to Know About Health Insurance” for some insurance basics.