Fiverr announces partnership with Stride Health to help US freelancers gain access to health insurance | ZDNet

Fiverr is partnering with Stride Health to help freelancers gain access to health, dental, and vision insurance. 

Stride said it will offer Fiverr users personalized recommendations for healthcare plans and attempt to notify them of the government financial assistance available to each freelancer. The companies said there are subsidies and tax credits established under the American Rescue Plan that have made healthcare more affordable.

Noah Lang, co-founder and CEO of Stride, said the two companies are on a mission to help every independent worker get access to affordable benefits.

“Health insurance has never been more affordable for more people, but not enough people know that,” Lang said. “This partnership will help US-based self-employed professionals on Fiverr realize how affordable health insurance can be, help them find the best health coverage for their specific needs at the lowest possible price, and provide them with year-round support to get the most from their benefits.”

Fiverr users will gain free access to Stride’s portable benefits platform and free access to their customer service team that will work to get freelancers enrolled in the best plans available for them. 

Both companies did surveys that found many freelancers are concerned about healthcare coverage yet don’t have an awareness about the low-cost insurance options afforded to independent workers under the Affordable Care Act. 

The news comes during the 2022 Open Enrollment Period where people can sign up for health insurance for next year. The period ends on December 15.

“Fiverr is more than just a platform for work — we strive to be the platform that provides freelancers with everything they need to live the freelance lifestyle, from earning potential and online learning opportunities to the ability to access social safety net protections like healthcare,” said Brent Messenger, a vice president at Fiverr. 

“At a time when more people are leaving the workforce than ever before, with many aiming to strike out on their own, access to affordable and portable healthcare benefits have never been more important. We’re incredibly excited to partner with Stride to raise awareness of the affordability of healthcare today and help our community of independent professionals obtain access through Stride’s platform.”