"If there is one thing that separates the self-employed from those employed by others, it is their preoccupation with health insurance." So writes Marci Alboher in today's New York Times. To provide some sense of the magnitude of this issue, the article has been on the Times's most-emailed list all day. In addition to mentioning Freelancers Union, the article points readers to local chambers of commerce, the Small Business Service Bureau, and the AARP (if you're over 50). We'd like to make a couple of small corrections, though. The article states,

Another possibility for consultants and independent workers is the Freelancers Union, which won consistently good reviews in the reader comments. But the union also has some limitations. It operates in only 30 states, and you have to work in one of the industries or occupations it serves.

We have members in all 50 states, but we offer health insurance in 31 states. In one of those states, New York, we have a group-rate plan, and members have to meet eligibility requirements. (That goes for all our group-rate insurance, including life, dental, and disability, which are available nationwide.) In the other 30 states, our eligible-employment-sector rules don't apply. Learn more on our insurance page.