Self-Employed Health Insurance: eHealthInsurance Releases Guide for Self-Employed and Small Business Owners

Feb 28, 2011
PDF Version

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA, Feb 28, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) --

Today eHealthInsurance (NASDAQ: EHTH), the leading online source of health insurance for individuals, families and small businesses, released 'Health Insurance for Entrepreneurs,' a health insurance buyer's guide designed to help self-employed individuals and small business owners find the individual or group health insurance best suited to their needs.

As the economy begins to regain momentum, more attention is being focused on the opportunities available to self-employed and small business entrepreneurs. According to numbers recently released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 14 million Americans are currently self-employed.

eHealthInsurance's 'Health Insurance for Entrepreneurs' buyer's guide is designed to help today's entrepreneurs make sure they get the coverage they need to protect their own best business asset: their health. It also provides guidance as they progress from solo entrepreneur to small business owner (with employees), advising them when they should consider moving from individual health insurance to small group coverage.

"We've served the needs of self-employed persons and small business owners for years," said eHealthInsurance Vice President for Customer Care, Gary Matalucci. "We know how important health insurance is to them. Whether they're just starting out or managing a growing business with five or ten employees, a serious illness or week in the hospital can mean financial disaster if they're uninsured. Our new buyer's guide can help them protect their own health -- and the health of their businesses."

The 'Health Insurance for Entrepreneurs' guide is split into four sections, designed to address the changing needs of growing businesses: 

--  The Basics -- This section of the guide discusses the value of health
    insurance for self-employed and small business persons, draws
    distinctions between "individual" and "group" coverage, introduces key
    terms, and discusses the effects of health care reform on both
    self-employed and small business entrepreneurs.
--  Self-employed -- The second segment of the guide is devoted primarily
    to self-employed persons -- that is, those who go into business on
    their own or as consultants, without additional employees. It focuses
    on individual or family health insurance options rather than group
    coverage and guides self-employed persons through the shopping and
    application process.
--  Small Business -- The third section addresses the needs of
    self-employed people who have grown their business to the point where
    they now have additional employees and may want to consider purchasing
    a group health insurance plan to provide coverage to employees and
    their dependents as well as themselves.
--  Resources -- The final section of the guide directs self-employed and
    small business entrepreneurs to other resources and provides a
    substantial glossary of definitions to health insurance terms that are
    often confusing for consumers.

To Download the Guide: A PDF version of eHealthInsurance's 'HealthInsurance for Entrepreneurs' guide can be accessed through the eHealthInsurance website and downloaded from the following locations: 

--  http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/small-business-health-insurance
--  http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/small-business-health-insurance/resources/buyers-guide.pdf

Additional Help: 

--  Self-employed persons and small business owners will find a wealth of
    information about their health insurance options through the
    eHealthInsurance.com website.
--  For additional assistance, consumers interested in individual or
    family insurance products may reach licensed agents at
    eHealthInsurance's Customer Care Center at 1-800-977-8860.
--  Self-employed persons and small business owners interested in
    understanding their group health insurance options are also encouraged
    to contact eHealthInsurance by phone 1-877-456-6670.

About eHealth eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH) is the parent company of eHealthInsurance, the nation's leading online source of health insurance for individuals, families and small businesses. Through the company's website, www.eHealthInsurance.com, consumers can get quotes from leading health insurance carriers, compare plans side by side, and apply for and purchase health insurance. eHealthInsurance offers thousands of individual, family and small business health plans underwritten by more than 180 of the nation's leading health insurance companies. eHealthInsurance is licensed to sell health insurance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, making it the ideal model of a successful, high-functioning health insurance exchange. Through the company's eHealthTechnology solution (www.eHealthTechnology.com), eHealth is also a leading provider of health insurance exchange technology. eHealthTechnology's exchange platform provides a suite of hosted e-commerce solutions that enable health plan providers, resellers and government entities to market and distribute products online. eHealth, Inc. also provides powerful online and pharmacy-based tools to help seniors navigate Medicare health insurance options, choose the right plan and enroll in select plans online through its wholly-owned subsidiary, PlanPrescriber.com (www.planprescriber) and through its Medicare website www.eHealthMedicare.com.

For more health insurance news and information, visit the eHealthInsurance consumer blog: Get Smart - Get Covered.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Sande Drew
eHealth, Inc.
(916) 207-7674
sande.drew@ehealth.com

Kris Kraves.com
Cogenta Communications
(805) 527-7733 - direct
kris@cogentacom.com

SOURCE: eHealth, Inc.