Self-Employed Are Often Uninsured

There are an estimated 42 million Americans making up the self- employed segment of today's workforce. This group is independent and confident; however many of them also lack health insurance.

According to a release, Cigna Individual and Family Plans surveyed 250 self-employed Americans and found that nearly 25 percent of respondents do not have health insurance. Given this finding, Cigna's My Business, My Health study took a closer look at this uninsured population to better understand its views on personal health and wellness, business priorities and perceptions and misconceptions about health insurance.

According to My Business, My Health, 60 percent of uninsured respondents place business priorities ahead of personal health and overall wellness. Yet, more than one-third of respondents said that one month away from work due to personal illness would result in either a loss of customers or worse -- going out of business.

"Clearly the stakes are high for this population to stay healthy in order to stay successful in business," said Lisa Lough, vice president, Cigna Individual and Family Plans. "However, a majority of this group readily admit that their personal health takes a back seat to the demands of their business."

The findings of My Business, My Health highlights popular misconceptions about health insurance and medical costs. The study found a large majority of uninsured respondents (82 percent) stated they did not have health insurance because it was too expensive, yet 80 percent overestimated the cost of insurance and about a third underestimated the cost of medical care.

According to the survey, while most uninsured respondents (60 percent) worry about not having health insurance and what impact it could have on their business, the majority (also 60 percent) categorize themselves as "reactive" or "inactive" when it comes to their own health, meaning the reactive only go to the doctor when they feel sick or believe something might be wrong and the inactive very rarely go to the doctor even when they feel sick. And, a small percentage of business owners feel that they don't need health insurance because they are "healthy and maintain an active lifestyle." Among those respondents,15 percent aged 41 to 60 adhere to this belief despite the greater frequency of health issues among this demographic in the general population.

Based on the My Business, My Health study findings, Cigna has created the My Business, My Health web page (mybizmyhealth.com) to continue this important conversation with sole proprietors and provide clear information on health care reform and other helpful resources. My Business, My Health provides a glimpse into the mindsets of uninsured business owners featuring real entrepreneurs telling their personal stories about life, health and wellness and owning a business today.

"America's small business owners and entrepreneurs - the independent contractors, sole proprietors and freelancers - power the economy. To stay healthy and successful, self-employed workers need to plan for their health care needs and think more about health care in terms of prevention, instead of reaction," added Lough.

More Information:

http://www.mybizmyhealth.com/

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