I can help Wisconsin contractors obtain a nationwide PPO. St. Croix County also offers marketplace PPO coverage priced below its EPO options. Let's compare what works for people living in Wisconsin and taking contracts in Minnesota.
Hi, I'm Sam. I'm licensed as a health insurance broker in 36 states and frequently help contractors earning 1099 income. If you're in Wisconsin, we can arrange everything together over the phone.
Hudson may be in Wisconsin, but many residents work across the border in Minnesota. Picture a freelance UX designer living there with her husband. Her main contract is with a Minneapolis retailer, followed by a northern-suburbs medical device company and a St. Paul agency. She crosses the St. Croix River three or four times weekly and prefers a clinic in Woodbury. This spring, she left an agency position with employee benefits and began receiving 1099 payments from every client. Living in St. Croix County means she shops through HealthCare.gov, where the lowest-priced silver plan turns out to be a PPO.
For 2026, St. Croix County offers 29 individual medical plans, including 12 EPOs, 9 POS plans, and 8 PPOs. Unlike the usual pricing pattern, its lowest-priced silver PPO is 3% below the lowest-priced silver EPO for a 40-year-old before subsidies. Neighboring Pierce County shows the same result.
I can also arrange a private nationwide PPO in Wisconsin, with pricing determined by your health. In St. Croix County, that means comparing a private PPO against an existing marketplace PPO, rather than trying to avoid HMO-only choices.
EPO coverage generally stops at the network boundary except for emergencies. PPOs also pay toward out-of-network care, although your share of the bill increases. If your work and healthcare are mainly in Minnesota, check whether the plan includes your Woodbury clinic, nearby urgent care, and preferred hospital. Having a marketplace PPO priced below EPO alternatives makes that comparison particularly worthwhile.
HealthCare.gov bases eligibility on your projected net self-employment income for the year. Subtract business expenses such as computer hardware, software, conferences, home office costs, and travel mileage from your 1099 earnings. Update the estimate whenever a client increases a contract or cancels one.
Wisconsin handles low-income coverage differently. Although it didn't adopt ACA Medicaid expansion, BadgerCare Plus covers eligible adults, including childless adults, through 100% of the poverty level. Marketplace credits generally begin at that same threshold, leaving contractors a potential coverage route during lean years.
Wisconsin permits continuation of insured employer group plans for as long as 18 months, regardless of employer size. Self-funded plans aren't included. This can preserve your previous benefits while you evaluate your first year of 1099 work. Losing employer insurance also creates a marketplace enrollment opportunity, so compare both before deciding.
Next step: Contact me before you finish your old job. We'll compare keeping that coverage with purchasing a St. Croix County marketplace plan.
Premium credits are available through HealthCare.gov and are calculated using a benchmark silver plan. In many locations, choosing a PPO requires paying extra, but St. Croix County is different. For contractors whose doctors are in Minnesota, the credited marketplace PPO often makes excellent financial sense. I'll check whether it does for you.
Next step: Send me your Minnesota provider information and estimated net earnings. I'll calculate the credited prices for St. Croix County PPO and EPO coverage.
If you're paying unsubsidized premiums, let's compare the marketplace PPO with a private nationwide PPO. Private insurers ask medical questions and may approve you, approve coverage with one condition excluded, or decline. Healthy contractors frequently qualify for lower premiums than full-price marketplace coverage while gaining a national network instead of a regional one. We'll examine both policies' benefits before you decide.
Next step: Call me for a private nationwide PPO quote. I'll put it alongside the full-premium marketplace PPO in St. Croix County.
Straight answers, no sales pitch.
Yes, when comparing silver plans. St. Croix County's lowest-premium silver PPO costs 3% less than its lowest-premium silver EPO.
Coverage generally requires the clinic to participate in your network, unless you're receiving emergency care.
Possibly. Wisconsin permits up to 18 months of continuation for insured employer group coverage, whatever the employer's size. Self-funded plans don't qualify.
Yes. I can help healthy contractors obtain a nationwide PPO privately, outside the marketplace.
Tell me your home location, approximately how many of your doctors and clients are in Minnesota, and last year's net 1099 earnings. I'll review the numbers and recommend coverage based on your situation.
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