On the Menu: Health Insurance Without HR: Understanding Your Options When You’re Self-Employed

When you work for yourself, there’s no HR department choosing your health insurance – and figuring out your options can be confusing. Whether you’re self-employed, freelancing, running a small business, leaving employer coverage, or planning to retire before Medicare, you may suddenly find yourself responsible for choosing your own coverage. Should you use the ACA Marketplace? Do you qualify for a subsidy? What happens when your income changes? What options exist outside the Marketplace? Could a Health Savings Account (HSA) help you save for medical expenses? And how can you tell whether a plan will actually cover what you need when you need it? In this practical, jargon-free Lunch & Learn, Emily Jolley of Triangle Health Advisors will break down how ACA Marketplace coverage works, including subsidies, income considerations, provider networks, prescriptions, deductibles, plan selection, and how HSAs may fit into an overall health-care strategy. She’ll be joined by Scott Ball of Scott Ball Insurance, who will explain health coverage options available outside the ACA Marketplace, how those products differ from ACA-compliant coverage, and what consumers should understand before considering them. Rather than telling you which plan to buy, they’ll give you a framework for evaluating your options and asking the right questions.

What You’ll Learn

• How the ACA Marketplace works and who may qualify for premium tax credits
• Why income is especially important when you’re self-employed
• How to compare premiums, deductibles, networks, prescriptions, and potential out-of-pocket costs
• How Health Savings Accounts work and who may be eligible to contribute
• How an HSA can help you save for qualified medical expenses and plan for future health-care costs
• What types of health coverage may be available outside the ACA Marketplace
• Important differences between ACA-compliant coverage and non-ACA alternatives
• What to consider when leaving employer coverage, becoming self-employed, or retiring before Medicare
• The questions you should ask before enrolling in any health plan

You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of the individual health insurance landscape, how the different options may fit your circumstances, and what questions to ask before choosing coverage.

Session Speakers

Emily Jolley | Triangle Health Advisors 

Emily Jolley is the owner of Triangle Health Advisors, an independent health insurance brokerage based in Durham, North Carolina. She helps individuals, families, self-employed professionals, and early retirees make sense of their health insurance options with straightforward, personalized guidance. Before entering the health insurance world, Emily spent years as a preschool teacher and director, where she developed a knack for taking complicated topics and making them easier to understand – a skill that translates surprisingly well to health insurance. She founded Triangle Health Advisors in 2023 with an education-first approach to helping clients feel more confident about their coverage decisions. Outside of insurance, Emily enjoys singing with her local choir, spending time with her family, and being involved in her community.

Scott Ball | Scott Ball Insurance

Scott Ball is the owner of Scott Ball Insurance, where he helps individuals, families, and small business owners navigate the often-confusing world of health insurance. Based in the Raleigh, North Carolina area, Scott focuses on making health coverage easier to understand and helping his clients find options that fit both their needs and their budget. Outside of insurance, Scott enjoys networking, golf, spending time outdoors, and finding new ways to be involved in his community. Whether he is meeting one-on-one with a client or speaking to a room of business owners, his goal is simple: make health insurance feel less overwhelming and help people feel confident about their options.