After a steady job with insurance and benefits for many years, I decided to take a break and work in the service industry for a while. I did that for a couple years with no benefits, then discovered poker. This is how I've been sustaining myself for a couple of years. After a few months of success I overindulged in "the life", and am starting back from scratch. I've decided to try and make this as normal an existence as possible(yes yes, TP/MM :wink: ) , and pushing 30, knowing I can't go any longer without health insurance. Any advice on getting the best combo of price and coverage from anyone out there who is self-employed or playing for a living? I'm living in the midwest, smoke, drink once or twice a week, and once in a while partake in recreational drugs. I saw in the latest cardplayer.com that they're offering some sort of healthcare program, but couldn' t find any additional info on the website. Thanks in advance for any help.

Good thing you don't smoke, drink, or use recreational drugs. If you did, that could make your insurance a lot more expensive.


:wink: :wink: :wink:

Just trying to be honest. I'm willing to put in a few more hours to pay for what I enjoy doing when I'm not at the tables.

Or have sex with women that take money for sex.

Good question.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to find good health insurance on the open market. The earlier you lock something in the better.

Your best bet may be one of these new high deductable plans that are supposed to be used in conjunction with the new Health Savings Accounts that Bush enacted last year.

These plans have several thousand dollar deductables but do allow you to pay the same negotiated rates out of pocket that the insurance company pays for more full survice plans. The idea is that you should buy one of these plans that cost much less than a full service plan and then put around 1000 per year (tax deductable) into an HSA to cover your costs below the deductable.

Or hook up with a sugar mama who works and has a good health plan :-)

Just saying, if I were you I would fail to mention the recreational drug thing to your proposed health care insurance provider.

I enjoy the novelty of strippers, not sleeping with them. Thanks for not assuming. There have been daliances in the past, but it's been over a year. I love children, and have no desire to have one and then not be there for it. I'm firmly focused on what I'm doing now, family and children are not in the cards. I also don't like shots and have no desire to piss fire. Thanks for your input.

I will, I'm just not sure of any screening process involved to get initial coverage. When I say recreational I mean just that, once every month or two. My drug of choice is out of my system in 72 hours, so urine tests are not an issue, although hair would be.

I don't mean to channel John McEnroe here but, YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS. I was just joking, but for Christ's sake, your screenname is StrippersNBlow, why would anyone assume you like that kind of stuff.
If your response was serious, you should consider trying to lighten up a little. Or change your handle to MrSeriousPants.

I do enjoy strippers and blow, my name isn't HookersNBlow :twisted: Sorry if my new found sense of responsibilty is seeping through here. The girls I know are serious about wanting to pursue higher education and would never ever sleep with a man for money! :wink: I can't lighten up anymore! This is the first serious thing I've considered in many years, and it's slightly stressful, so I apologize for my morning tone. :oops:

The strippers you know are serious about higher education?????


OK


Good luck.

MrSeriousPants.... that is freakin gold man

I guess we're both having trouble with our sarcasm detectors today.

Hookers are better than strippers any day.

If you have to ask why, then I can't help ya.


It's all good, but seriously, consider a name change.

I really expect more out of someone named StrippersNBlow.

You can probably get basic healthcare for under $200/mo in Missouri. I'm pretty sure Missouri is one of the better states about health care plans.

You probably don't need term life insurance if you don't have any dependents. That's the one where your relatives get paaaaaaid if you kick.

I'd advise you to check Clark Howard's website. He'll know whats best.

www.clarkhoward.com

Check out http://www.megalifehealth.info/ and the link to the National Assocation for the Self Employed. I have had mine through them for about 2 years and am very happy with it. You can customize the policy to your needs.

Erik

When I first opened this, I thought it was Heath Insurance for the Self-important. This still applies to me, but I’m now disinterested.

34 hr. until Episode 1.

Last night I turned to my friend and said "50 and 17 minuets 'til The Shield".

I sell health insurance in Colorado. PM me if you would like... I just typed a very long reply and deleted it because I don't want to clutter the forum.