MorrisHealthandLife.com
1099 With Kids?Compare the plan. Not just the logo.
Especially if you're paying full price for family coverage.
Self-employed families who don't qualify for an ACA premium tax credit may have more options worth comparing.
Self-employed with kids? Before you renew or choose a health plan, compare what your family is actually getting. I'll line up ACA plans, including Blue Cross, next to private coverage, in plain English. You bring the questions. I'll bring the spreadsheet.
About a minute. No Social Security number. No sales gymnastics.
For the do-it-yourselfers. We respect it.
No obligation. Sometimes I'll tell you to keep the plan you already have.
Sound familiar?
You became self-employed for freedom. Nobody mentioned becoming HR. Now it's 37 browser tabs, three insurance acronyms, and a kid asking for a snack. You don't need tab number 38. You need the options next to each other, in words a normal person uses.
What we compare for your family
The stuff the brochure cover skips.
1.Is it ACA major medical, or something else?
ACA plans cover pre-existing conditions and essential benefits. Fixed-benefit (fixed indemnity), short-term and other private plans follow different rules. Know which one you are looking at before you look at price.
2.Are you paying full price?
If your household doesn't qualify for a premium tax credit, it's worth comparing more options. For 2027, credits are available up to 400% of the federal poverty level ($132,000 for a family of four). Estimate self-employed income carefully, with your CPA.
3.What is the family out-of-pocket maximum?
This is your worst-case year for covered care. 2027 ACA plans cap in-network costs at $24,000 for a family, and many plans are lower. Some non-ACA plans have no cap at all: you pay whatever the plan does not.
4.Are your doctors and hospital in the network?
Check your pediatrician, your specialists and the hospital you would actually go to. Ask whether you need referrals, and what happens when you travel.
5.Are your prescriptions covered, and how?
On an ACA plan, look up each drug on the plan's drug list and its tier. On other plans, ask whether prescriptions are an insurance benefit or a discount program.
6.Pre-existing conditions and health questions
Will the plan ask health questions? Can it decline someone in your family? Is anything excluded for a waiting period? Read the pre-existing condition section before you read the price.
7.What is NOT covered?
Look for maternity, mental health, ongoing therapy, chronic conditions, kids' conditions present at birth, and sports injuries. The exclusions page tells you more than the brochure cover.
Looking at Blue Cross? Good.
Put it in the comparison. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas is a big, established carrier, and for many families a Blue Cross ACA plan is the right choice. But "Blue Cross" is a logo, not a plan, and your kid's broken wrist doesn't check logos. Bring the plan you're considering and I'll put it next to your other options. If it's the best fit, I'll tell you to keep it. Really.
Not all coverage works the same way
Some private plans work very differently from traditional major medical. Instead of starting with a deductible and coinsurance structure, they may pay defined benefits for covered services. That can be attractive for some families, but you need to understand what happens if the bill is larger than the benefit.
When an ACA plan is usually the better fit
An ACA plan is usually the better fit if you qualify for a premium tax credit, someone in the family has an ongoing condition or regular specialist care, a pregnancy is possible, or you want a firm cap on your worst-case year. We'll look at that together, no jargon quiz.
Medical first. Then let's make sure dental and vision aren't forgotten.
How it works
Four steps, zero acronyms required.
Step 1
Short form
About a minute. Less time than finding the remote.
Step 2
Side-by-side comparison
ACA plans, including Blue Cross, next to private options you may qualify for. One page, not 37 tabs.
Step 3
30-minute conversation
Phone or Zoom, kids in the background totally welcome. We go over out-of-pocket costs, network, prescriptions, and what each plan doesn't cover.
Step 4
You decide
Enroll with my help, keep what you have, or think it over. No countdown timers.
FAQ
Asked by real, slightly tired parents.
What's a premium tax credit?
A federal subsidy that lowers ACA premiums based on estimated household income. For 2027 it's available up to 400% of the federal poverty level ($132,000 for a family of four). Above that, there's no credit. It's one factor, not the whole decision.
What's an out-of-pocket maximum?
The insurance word for "worst-case year." It's the most you'd pay in a year for covered in-network care on an ACA plan. For 2027 the federal ceiling is $24,000 for a family, and many plans are lower. Not every type of coverage has one.
When can I enroll?
ACA Open Enrollment runs Nov 1, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027. Enroll by Dec 15 for a Jan 1 start. Some private plans accept applications year-round.
Will you blow up my phone?
No. You'll hear from me about your request, at the time you pick. That's it.