Finding Health Insurance as a Startup When it comes to medical coverage, are there any healthy choices for entrepreneurs?

Of all the fringe benefits you'll give up when you leave a job to start a business, company-sponsored health insurance may be the one you'll remember with the most fondness. Even the high monthly premiums and hefty co-pays you may have gritted your teeth over will suddenly look like insurance nirvana when you're confronted with the prospect of footing the entire insurance bill yourself.

"The corporate world really spoiled me," says Sandy Dixon, 56, owner of Interior Arrangements Inc., an interior redesign and real estate staging company based in Evergreen, Colorado. "[When I started my business,] I was really surprised by the high cost of insurance and suddenly had a new appreciation for this corporate perk."

In fact, entrepreneurs often find it a struggle to get health-care coverage at an acceptable rate. And forget about dental or vision insurance--those plans are often far too expensive for sole proprietors. Yet medical insurance is more a necessity than an extravagance. A long-term illness or surgical procedure can wipe out your savings, not to mention your business capital. You must make obtaining health insurance a priority, even if your startup dollars are limited or your monthly operating costs are high.