When Madelyn Roman, 31, wanted to go freelance, the biggest barrier she faced wasn’t how she would make money, but how she would afford healthcare. 

Like many people in the U.S., Madelyn’s health insurance was tied to her employer. But then she learned about a way to get health insurance through her fiancé. (And no, it wasn’t pushing forward the wedding.).

Once a common method for same-sex couples to gain basic rights previously denied to them but long associated with “traditional” marriage, ranging from shared healthcare to inheritance, couples of all sexual orientations are now getting domestic partnerships as a precursor—or alternative—to marriage. 

In the U.S., domestic partnerships can offer benefits such as access to a partner’s employee healthcare, hospital visitation rights, and veteran benefits. 

For New York City-based Roman, and many other freelancers, that right to healthcare can be life-changing, especially since the number of freelancers is rising fast in the U.S. According to FlexJobs, the U.S. has 72 million independent workers, a number that is expected to rise to 86.5 million next year. 

“As a healthcare professional myself, I’ve always taken advantage of my insurance plan,” says Roman. “I need it for both my physical and mental health care services, which I rely on. Life is too unpredictable to go without coverage. Now I have so much freedom to do what I want to do and to work how I want to work.”

Ohio-based Brooke had already made the jump to freelancing while on her parents’ insurance.

Source link