Demand Studios Offers Health Insurance to its Writers
One of the reasons why many writers choose to keep their day job is because quitting would mean losing their health insurance benefits.

Freelance writers are not usually given the option to purchase insurance from their clients. Well, at least up until now they couldn't. These freelancers usually help students who ask - can you write my paper for me cheap.

Demand Studios has come up with a way to provide health insurance for its freelance writers. Probably one of the only online writing sites that offer such coverage to freelancers who write for sites such as eHow, GolfLink and Pluck can now enjoy the flexibility of being a freelance writer and the security of having health insurance.

How to Qualify for the Demand Studios Health Plan
Not all writers qualify for the Demand Studios health program. To qualify writers must average at least 30 articles a month over the past three months. Copy editors must have reviewed 200 articles a month over the same period of time. Once the freelancer has met the minimum writing and/or editing requirements, Demand Studios sends out an e-mail notifying the writer of her eligibility. At that time she has 90 days either to accept or decline coverage.

Declining to join the health care plan doesn't mean that the writer will never get another opportunity to accept coverage. There is an open enrollment in December of the following year which means that if the writer has met the 30/month writing requirement, she can enroll for the plan on December 1 of the following year.

About the Health Plan
The program is underwritten by FlexShield. An attractive feature to the Demand Studios health plan is that it does not have deductibles or co payments. It does however limit the coverage to a maximum annual payout. The coverage is broken down into three levels bronze, silver and platinum. Each level provides a little more coverage than the one before it.

The health plan, which also provides discount dental and vision service, is not exclusive to the writer only. Demand Studio writers can elect to participate as an individual, a married couple, writer plus child or pay for coverage for the entire family. If a writer already covered by a health insurance plan, the FlexShield program can be used to supplement and fill in the co pay and deductible gaps of an existing health insurance plan.

The Health Plan Claims Process
By using one of the in network doctors or facilities, claims can be submitted directly to the insurance company for payment. If the insurance does not cover the full amount of the bill, the writer is responsible for the remaining balance. For out of network doctors or facilities, participants must pay for the expense out of pocket and submit the bill for reimbursement.

Demand Studios has taken a positive step in filling a void in the freelance writing marketplace. It would be interesting to see if other publishers follow suit.