Finding affordable health insurance rates for small business and the self employed can be difficult. For small business owners in the State of New York obtaining low cost medical coverage has been particularly challenging. However that pressure may be finally easing a bit.

Because of some of the unusual vagaries in the New York State Insurance laws, sole proprietors or the self-employed could not directly purchase individual health insurance policies. Instead they must purchase health insurance through approved groups or trade associations. This has blocked New York State entrepreneurs from talking advantage f the low-cost health insurance products offered nationwide through online brokers.

While the laws have not changed, a new player has entered the game. Vista health plans has been given permission to operate in the state as a full service insurance broker specializing in the health insurance needs of the self employed.  While self-employed individuals in New York are still required to purchase health insurance through trade or business associations, Vista, being based in the state has access to all of those associations, and can work with them to provide the most attractive health insurance products. The organizations can then turnaround and in theory anyway; offer more affordable and low-cost health insurance products to their members.

While not giving New York’s self-employed the same access to the national pool of health insurance providers that other entrepreneurs have nationwide, Vista is finally bringing the advantages of technology to self-employed insurance consumers in New York State. In order to give self employed New Yorkers access to all of the heath insurance products offer by the various different associations involved,  Vista has created a medical insurance website that is dedicated to the self-employed individuals of New York State. The website provides free online rates and quotes, and other valuable health insurance information for the self- employed.

In addition more help for small business owners and sole proprietors in New York has been rolled out by the state itself. Recently the state legislature brought forth an initiative called Healthy New York. It is a State subsidized program that makes it easier for small business owners, and sole proprietors, who could not otherwise afford the plans offered by the associations, gain access to low cost medical coverage.