Health insurance for therapists in private practice (& massage therapists)
You spend your days caring for other people — so it's easy to end up last on your own list, especially when it comes to coverage. In private practice there's no clinic HR department, no group plan quietly covering half the premium; you're on your own, and the whole system seems to assume you have an employer. You don't, and that's fine. Whether you're a counselor, an LMFT, an LCSW, or a massage and bodywork therapist, you buy your own coverage on the individual market, it's yours to keep between clients and seasons, and there's a clear path to getting it right. That's the whole reason to talk to a real person instead of a quote form.
Why private practice changes the coverage question
Running your own practice is 1099 work, and that one fact changes everything about coverage. There's no clinic plan behind you, no HR portal, no employer paying part of the premium. What you get instead is a plan you own outright — on the individual market, in your name, not tied to any single client, referral source, or spa you contract with. That can feel like a downgrade the first time you look at it. It isn't. It means your coverage doesn't end when a client list turns over or a season slows, and it travels with you as your practice grows. The mechanics here are the same as they are for any self-employed person; the self-employed health insurance guide is the full walkthrough of options, subsidies, and the tax deduction. This page is about the parts that are specifically a private-practice therapist's story.
A therapist in Louisiana opened her own practice — some of her sessions in person, some over telehealth. Between her income and her family's, they were well past where a subsidy could help, so she reached out to see what her private options looked like. We found her a plan at a rate that worked, with the coverage she and her family needed. These days, when her own clients ask her about health insurance, she tells them to give me a call.
Health insurance for massage therapists and bodyworkers
If you're a massage therapist, this is your situation too, and it's one of the most common ones I see. Most massage and bodywork therapists are paid on a 1099 — renting a room, working across a couple of studios, or building a solo practice — which means no group health plan comes with the work. The path is the same one every self-employed person walks: your own individual or private under-65 plan, kept in your name regardless of which studio you're in this year. The wrinkle worth naming is physical: your work is your body, and time out with an injury is time you can't bill. That makes the coverage you actually use — how you'd handle care if something went wrong — the part worth getting right, rather than defaulting to whatever looks cheapest this month. A quick, honest call is the fastest way to sort what fits.
Your options as a self-employed therapist
As a private-practice therapist you generally have two routes worth weighing side by side: a marketplace plan, which may come with an income-based subsidy, and a private under-65 plan bought directly. Which one fits leans on two honest questions. First, your income: marketplace help is tied to what your household earns, so a strong year in practice can move you past the point where a subsidy applies — not a reason for discouragement, just a fork in the road that quietly decides what fits. Second, how you and your family actually use care: the prescriptions you fill, the providers you'd rather not give up, anything ongoing. That's not a rate claim and it isn't complicated — but knowing which route is really yours is the first thing worth sorting out, and it's exactly the kind of thing a short call settles for good.
The self-employed deduction — and where your CPA comes in
If you're paying for your own coverage in private practice, don't overlook this at tax time: those premiums are often deductible — an above-the-line deduction for the self-employed. Most therapists I work with run as a sole proprietor or a single-member LLC, which keeps this relatively clean, but the rules still bite in two places. You can't deduct premiums for any month you could have joined a spouse's or an employer's plan, and the deduction can't exceed what your practice actually netted. Where it lands is your CPA's call, not mine; nothing here is tax advice, and I hand the specifics to your accountant every time. What I take care of is the coverage itself, so there's something worth deducting. The self-employed guide breaks the deduction down in more detail.
Covering your family, and keeping coverage steady
For a lot of therapists this was never only about them — there's a spouse, maybe kids, who need covering too. You can absolutely cover your whole household on an individual or private under-65 plan, the same way a group plan would have. And because practice income comes in waves — a full caseload, then a quieter stretch — a plan you own is built for exactly that. It doesn't lapse when a season slows, and it carries straight through instead of leaving you exposed the moment you can least afford a surprise. The instinct to cancel during a slow month to save the premium is the one thing worth resisting; a gap is far more expensive than the premium that would have avoided it. If money's genuinely tight between busy seasons, there are better levers than going uninsured, and walking through those is part of what I'm here for.
Ready to see your options?
If you're in private practice and not sure whether you're overpaying — or even covered the right way — start with the coverage cost estimator to see the landscape, then book a quick consultation when you want a real person to walk your specific situation with you. No pressure, no cost to talk.
Related guides: Self-employed & 1099 hub → · Freelancer coverage → · Coverage cost estimator →
Frequently asked questions.
Can a self-employed private-practice therapist get their own health insurance?
Yes. Private practice is 1099 work, so there's no clinic plan — you buy your own coverage on the individual market and keep it in your name no matter which clients or studios you work with. Counselors, LMFTs, LCSWs, and massage therapists are all in the same spot. Because a strong year in practice can move a household past the point where a marketplace subsidy applies, the fastest way to sort what fits is one honest call.
Is there health insurance for massage therapists?
Yes — massage and bodywork therapists get covered the same way any self-employed person does, since most are paid on a 1099 with no group plan. You buy your own individual or private under-65 plan and keep it regardless of which studios you're in. Because your work depends on your body, it's worth matching the plan to how you'd actually handle care if something went wrong, rather than defaulting to the cheapest option. A quick call sorts it out.
What are my options as a private-practice therapist?
Generally two, worth pricing side by side: a marketplace plan, which may come with an income-based subsidy, and a private under-65 plan bought directly. Which fits depends on your household income — a good year can push you past the subsidy line — and on how you and your family use care. There's no single right answer for everyone, which is exactly why a short, honest call is the shortcut to yours.
Is my health insurance tax-deductible as a self-employed therapist?
Usually, yes. In private practice you can often deduct your health premiums above the line, as long as you weren't eligible for a spouse's or employer's plan that month and the amount stays within what your practice netted. Your accountant handles the details; nothing here is tax advice. I focus on getting the coverage right.
Does it cost anything to use a broker?
No. Independent brokers are paid by the insurers, so your premium is the same with or without a broker's help. You get the guidance at no extra cost to you, and someone to call after enrollment when a bill looks wrong or your income changes.
Not quite a private-practice therapist? Explore other situations.
Self-employed hub
The full walkthrough — options, subsidies, the tax deduction, and mistakes to avoid.
Open the hub →Freelancers & creative pros
Project-to-project income and coverage that carries between gigs, not tied to any one client.
See the guide →COBRA & coverage gaps
Just left an employer to open your own practice? Move fast and avoid an uninsured gap.
See gap options →Families & individuals
Buying your own coverage for your household instead of through a job.
Explore family coverage →In their words
“Ryan was very helpful in getting my family health coverage when I started my business.”
— John L.
“I've worked with Ryan twice now to get temporary insurance between jobs. He is top notch … there to find what's best for you, not what puts the most in his pocket.”
— Bryan H.
“Insurance stuff usually stresses me out, but he made it super easy to understand … never once made me feel rushed or like I was asking a ‘dumb’ question.”
— Mo T.
One person, quietly and directly — that's me. No call center, no spam, no pressure. Just a straight, unhurried conversation.
Let's find coverage that fits how you practice.
Fifteen minutes to talk through how you practice and earn — then a clear, honest set of options.