A Real User's Experience: Ryan Foran

" I tell everybody that will listen to me - I don't know why you're doing traditional health insurance, because this is the way to go," - Ryan Foran, speaking about WoW Health.

Side hustles are booming in the United States, ranging from food delivery drivers to occasional independent workers. What are independent workers, and how do they access healthcare?

What is an independent contractor?

An independent contractor, or 1099 employee, is a person or business that provides services under a contract. Independent contractors tend to work as needed, unlike employees who are regularly required for an employer. According to Statista, there were about 36.6 million independent workers in the U.S. in 2023. 

Since independent contractors are not considered full time employees, employers are not required to provide healthcare benefits to these workers. In fact, according to McKinsey and Company’s American Opportunity Survey (AOS), only 32% of independent workers received healthcare benefits through their employer in 2023. Because of this, most independent contractors utilize individual healthcare plans, health insurance marketplaces under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), health savings accounts (HSAs) or other tax-advantaged benefits plans. 

WoW Health as a health insurance alternative for employees that don't receive benefits

Ryan Foran, a commercial real estate broker in the Chicago area, was spending roughly $40,000 a year for health insurance, not including co-pays and other incidental expenses. 

“I was at a pull-my-hair-out moment with health insurance - it felt kind of ridiculous to me to spend that much money when my family was healthy,” said Foran. 

Foran was first introduced to WoW Health Solutions when his employer offered it as a traditional health insurance alternative. When his employer switched providers, Foran made the decision to stick with WoW Health as an independent client rather than through an employer. Now, two years later, Foran couldn’t be happier with his and his family’s health care. 

“It’s been like magic,” said Foran. “I’m not somebody that goes out of my way to endorse products. My wife and I have been incredibly surprised and impressed by the whole experience.”

Foran, his wife and their three children use WoW Health as their primary route to health care, and also use WoW’s dental and vision benefits. Throughout his time using WoW Health, they’ve been able to see every doctor that they’ve wanted to see and no longer worry about whether certain providers work with certain insurances. 

Foran said his family has utilized WoW Health for many health-related instances, including prescriptions and a major surgery one of their children had to undergo. Through his membership, Foran self pays for any healthcare needs and is reimbursed by Zion HealthShares, an affiliation of WoW Health. 

“We go in, we self pay, we submit back to Zion HealthShare, they send you a debit card with the amount that you spent, and we’ve not had any dispute or argument,” said Foran. “It’s pretty much better coverage than direct health ever was, and it’s much easier to get face to face time with somebody to talk to if you have an issue.”

Foran said his WoW Health membership has not only aided in significant cost savings, but also has shed light on the healthcare industry and brought more transparency into the space. He is aware of the cost of care up front, no insurance haggling or negotiating involved. 

“It’s been incredibly painless, way better than anything we ever dealt with in the past with insurance companies,” said Foran. “As long as this option is available to me, I’ll never go back [to traditional health insurance].”

WoW Health is a direct-pay marketplace that provides consumers with transparent, affordable access to healthcare. WoW Health takes care of your every day and large healthcare needs, with memberships that include dental and vision coverage, low-cost diagnostics and over 400 free generic medications. 

Interested in learning more about WoW Health? Book a conversation with an REQ team member at this link!

Want to take control of your healthcare and sign up for WoW Health? You can sign up as a member here!