For physicians and advanced practice providers, flexibility, autonomy, and control over your schedule make locum tenens work an appealing option.
Still, locum tenens providers soon learn that independent contractor status brings new responsibility: navigating health benefits on your own.
The complexities of securing health, disability, and liability coverage can be overwhelming, even for seasoned clinicians. That’s why Ten99 Health is working to reshape the way independent contractors, especially locums, approach insurance.
“Most people don’t realize how fragmented the experience is until they’re in it,” says Alex Palese, Ten99 Health’s founder. “Our mission is to take something that feels risky and turn it into a source of confidence.”
“Most people don’t realize how fragmented the experience is until they’re in it. Our mission is to take something that feels risky and turn it into a source of confidence.”
Why Insurance Gets Tricky for Locums
In a traditional W-2 setting, benefits are typically prepackaged, including health insurance, dental coverage, retirement plans, and malpractice insurance. But when you shift into locum tenens work, that safety net disappears. Suddenly, you’re left trying to piece together coverage from government marketplaces, private brokers, or limited COBRA extensions.
And timing is everything.
“Missing an enrollment window or misunderstanding a plan exclusion can mean going without care or paying thousands out of pocket,” Palese explains. “It shouldn’t be that hard for highly skilled professionals to get basic coverage.”
Among the most significant challenges are:
- Unpredictable income: Gaps between assignments make budgeting for monthly premiums a balancing act.
- Tax complexity: 1099 workers must manage quarterly taxes, business deductions, and often navigate multi-state regulations.
- Information overload: Without an HR team, providers are left to compare dense policy language and try to decipher what’s “must-have” versus “nice-to-have.”
Confusing insurance rules hit your finances first, but the bigger loss may be your peace of mind.
Short-term contracts mean many locums lack community or institutional support. When health issues or personal emergencies arise, not having a clear plan adds to the stress. Some providers delay care, overpay for services, or risk going without coverage altogether.
A 2024 survey found that 71% of locum tenens physicians and APPs cited “lack of benefits” as a top challenge of the job. It’s a major deterrent to the workforce model itself.
Launched with the locum lifestyle in mind, Ten99 Health acts like an outsourced benefits department for independent clinicians, offering.
- Year-round enrollment: No more waiting for ACA windows. Apply by the 15th of any month, and coverage will start the next day.
- Flexible, portable plans: Designed to move with you from state to state and assignment to assignment.
- Hands-on support: A team that helps with everything from plan selection to claims disputes—like having an HR rep on speed dial.
- Professional liability coverage: Optional add-ons tailored to 1099 providers who need peace of mind across multiple settings.
“We’re not just about checking the boxes,” says Palese. “We’re about helping providers stay focused on patients, not paperwork.”
“When providers feel secure and know they’re covered, everything changes. They show up differently. They work with more confidence. And they’re more likely to stick with locums long term.”
Insurance Is About Peace of Mind
The healthcare workforce is already under significant stress. Burnout, regulatory shifts, and increasing costs make retention more difficult than ever. And for many clinicians, the decision to stay in locum work hinges on whether it’s financially and logistically sustainable.
Ten99 Health sees insurance as part of that solution.
“When providers feel secure and know they’re covered, everything changes,” says Palese. “They show up differently. They work with more confidence. And they’re more likely to stick with locums long term.”
Final Thoughts: Locum Freedom Doesn’t Have to Mean Going it Alone
Locum work offers unmatched flexibility. But without the right support systems, that flexibility can morph into vulnerability. Ten99 Health aims to close that gap with a broader vision of what independence should feel like.
