Stride Health Partners with Shipt to Offer Shoppers and Drivers Access to Affordable Health Insurance During Open Enrollment

PR Newswire

Shoppers and drivers with Shipt get more perks with access to affordable healthcare, dental and vision plans through Stride's benefits platform

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Stride Health, the platform powering benefits for the gig economy, is teaming up with Shipt, the retail technology company connecting people to high-quality personalized delivery and flexible delivery work. The partnership will offer shoppers and drivers working with Shipt access to Stride's benefits platform where they can purchase affordable health insurance as well as dental and vision coverage. Shoppers and drivers will also be able to seek eligibility for ACA premium tax credits which, depending on their income, could help lower the overall cost of their coverage.

According to a Stride survey of 3,000 independent contractors, cost and a complicated system are the key barriers to accessing healthcare. More than half (55%) of workers surveyed report being concerned about the financial expense of healthcare and another 35% report feeling overwhelmed by the process of finding insurance. Yet, many are unaware of the availability of tax credits that could significantly lower their coverage costs. In a report from last year, 45% of gig workers surveyed who have health insurance reported paying $0 on premiums thanks to tax credits while another 27% reported paying between $1 to $100 per family member for health insurance.

"There is an affordability perception gap among many worker populations without traditional benefits. They think that healthcare is too expensive, however many end up paying close to nothing for their premiums," said Noah Lang, CEO and co-founder of Stride Health. "We need to work to close this gap to ensure people are getting the coverage they need. We're incredibly proud to be expanding our audience and partnering with Shipt to ensure shoppers and drivers everywhere have access to affordable healthcare coverage for themselves and their families."

In addition to Stride's marketplace of affordable health, dental and vision coverage, shoppers and drivers with Shipt will also be able to use Stride's app to track their mileage and expenses to help lower their tax bill. Additionally, they will have free, year-round access to Stride's customer service team of licensed, qualified agents who can help them get the most out of their benefits.

"I'm so grateful to have the health insurance I need to ensure my future health and wellbeing," said Darlene Rodriguez, a shopper with Shipt based in Tampa, FL. "As someone who is always moving and on-the-go, it was important to make sure I found coverage that fits my specific needs. Accessing the health plan I needed was very straightforward with Stride. The selection process was seamless and I was easily able to compare and contrast the various options."

The partnership launched on November 1, 2023, the first day of the 2024 Open Enrollment Period—the primary time of year when individuals can enroll in health insurance for next year. Shoppers and drivers can visit this site today to find a 2024 health plan.

ABOUT STRIDE:
Stride enables independent workers to reap the benefits of their independence. Stride simplifies the challenges of being self-employed by helping workers handle the complexities of insurance and taxes — in one convenient platform. Stride has helped over 3.7 million workers save over $6 billion on their taxes and monthly health insurance premiums.

Stride also supports over 100 leading enterprises including contract workforces, employers, health plans, and agents in delivering access to health benefits and financial planning tools to their workers and customers. Companies like Uber, Amazon, DoorDash, and Instacart partner with Stride to provide their gig economy workforces access to Stride's benefits platform. The company is backed by $96 million in capital from Venrock, New Enterprise Associates, Fidelity's F-Prime Capital Partners, Mastercard, Allstate and King River.

Visit us at www.stridehealth.com for more information. Read our blog and follow us on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. To become a partner, click here.

ABOUT SHIPT:
Shipt is a retail tech company that connects people to reliable, high-quality delivery with a personal touch. Through the power of technology, Shipt connects customers to the things they want from the stores they love, workers to new earning opportunities, and retail businesses to more satisfied customers. Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, Shipt brings people the flexible solutions they need with the above-and-beyond service they expect. Shipt is an independently operated subsidiary of Target Corp. and available in more than 5,000 U.S. cities. For more information, please visit Shipt's Newsroom.