Freelancers, contractors, gig workers and small-business owners — coverage that isn't tied to an employer, and may be tax-deductible.
Not a government marketplace. Health Enrollment Center is operated by Sprinter Insurance Agency LLC.
Rhode Island runs its own marketplace, HealthSource RI — not HealthCare.gov — and kept 2026 enrollment open through the end of January. About 39,000 residents enroll through it. It's a small, concentrated market, so the choice is less about how many plans exist and more about which carrier reaches the hospitals you actually use.
When you work for yourself, nobody hands you a benefits package. The good news: as a self-employed person your income is what determines your ACA premium tax credit, and self-employed people often have more control over their Modified Adjusted Gross Income than W-2 employees do. Structuring income and deductions well can meaningfully lower what you pay for a marketplace plan.
Self-employed health insurance premiums are frequently deductible above the line on your federal return (the self-employed health insurance deduction), which effectively discounts your coverage again at tax time. Pairing an HSA-eligible high-deductible plan with an HSA is a common strategy for 1099 earners who want to shelter income and build a medical nest egg.
We help Rhode Island freelancers and business owners compare marketplace plans (with subsidies) against private off-marketplace plans side by side, so you can weigh network breadth against price without guessing.
Rhode Island runs its own exchange, HealthSource RI, rather than using HealthCare.gov. That matters more than it sounds: state-based exchanges set their own Open Enrollment dates, can recognize special enrollment situations the federal marketplace does not, and sometimes administer state-only programs that have no federal equivalent. Check the HealthSource RI calendar rather than assuming the federal dates apply to you. Rhode Island runs its own exchange, HealthSource RI, on its own platform — not HealthCare.gov — with 2026 enrollment open through the end of January.
If your 1099 income puts you above roughly 138% of the federal poverty level, Rhode Island's Medicaid expansion isn't your lane — the premium tax credit is, and self-employed people have more control over the Modified Adjusted Gross Income that sets it than almost anyone. The one thing to watch is the floor: estimate a year low enough and the marketplace will route you to Medicaid instead of a subsidized plan, so estimate honestly and update it when the year comes in stronger. Rhode Island expanded Medicaid up to 138% of the poverty line, so marketplace premium tax credits generally begin just above that Medicaid floor.
The carriers writing individual business in Rhode Island include Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, Tufts Health Plan. Networks and pricing are set county by county rather than statewide, so the same carrier can be the best value in one metro and the wrong choice an hour away. We quote Providence and Newport & South County — and every county in between.
Don't see yours? Call a licensed agent — most answers take under two minutes.
It depends on your income and who needs coverage, but for most self-employed residents of Rhode Island a subsidized ACA marketplace plan is the strongest option — it's guaranteed-issue, covers pre-existing conditions, and the premium tax credit is income-based. We compare it against private plans so you see the full picture.
For lower incomes it's often no-cost Medicaid; above that line, a subsidized HealthSource RI plan is usually cheapest after the premium tax credit. We compare your options for your exact ZIP and income.
Through HealthSource RI, the exchange Rhode Island runs itself — not HealthCare.gov. A licensed agent can enroll you in the same plans at the same price. Because Rhode Island sets its own calendar, check the Open Enrollment dates against HealthSource RI rather than assuming the federal ones apply to you.
The carriers writing individual business in Rhode Island include Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, Tufts Health Plan. Which of them is actually competitive depends on your county rather than the state — the lineup and the networks in Providence are not the lineup in Newport & South County. We are independent and compare across all of them rather than steering you to one company.
Start with your ZIP. Two quick questions, then a licensed agent brings you the plans you actually qualify for — no cost, no obligation.