[consulting] Unionised Healthcare for American Freelancers

[Sami Khan]

Ran into this while doing some research, I think it has been mentioned
here before
(http://lists.drupal.org/pipermail/consulting/2009-August/003646.html); but
it bears repeating especially in relation to unions and healthcare:

Freelancers Union
http://www.freelancersunion.org/

Freelancers Union offers health insurance as a non-profit health insurance
brokerage. In 2001, it created an infrastructure platform known as the
Portable Benefits Network (PBN). The PBN provides health insurance to
independent workers at less than half the price of average HMO premiums in
the individual market in New York City, and also offers life and disability
insurance, financial services, resources, and discounts. As of June 2006,
nearly 12,000 independent workers receive benefits through the PBN and
several thousand more advocacy members have registered to support its
mission. In 2008, it replaced PBN with the Freelancers Insurance Company (a
wholly-owned for-profit company) to offer insurance to its members.

You must work 20 hours per week as a freelancer in one of the 7 qualified
industry to become a member.

Sami