Healthcare Coverage of Sole Proprietors

25% of self-employed Americans do not have health insurance, according to a new study from Cigna entitled, My Business, My Health. 60% of uninsured respondents place business priorities ahead of personal health and overall wellness. Yet, more than one-third of respondents said that one month away from work due to personal illness would result in either a loss of customers or worse -- going out of business.
The study found a large majority of uninsured respondents (82%) stated they did not have health insurance because it was too expensive, yet 80% overestimated the cost of insurance and about a third underestimated the cost of medical care.
While most uninsured respondents (60%) worry about not having health insurance and what impact it could have on their business, the majority (also 60%) categorize themselves as "reactive" or "inactive" when it comes to their own health, meaning the reactive only go to the doctor when they feel sick or believe something might be wrong and the inactive very rarely go to the doctor even when they feel sick. And, a small percentage of business owners feel that they don't need health insurance because they are "healthy and maintain an active lifestyle".  Among those respondents,15% aged 41 to 60 adhere to this belief despite the greater frequency of health issues among this demographic in the general population.
Source: Cigna