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Agency plans start and stop with contracts, and each new agency can mean a new network, a new deductible and new doctors. Here is when the agency plan is the right call, and when owning your own coverage is worth it.
Most travel nurses are W-2 employees of a staffing agency, and most agencies offer health insurance during an assignment. The catch is continuity: coverage usually ends when the contract does, many agencies only carry you through short gaps, and every agency change resets your plan. Nurses who take time off between contracts, switch agencies often, or want the same doctors and deductible all year often do better owning their own coverage.
Agency benefits differ widely. Some agencies start coverage on day one; others have a waiting period. Some keep you covered through a gap of a couple of weeks if you sign your next contract with them; others end coverage at the end of your last week or month. Once the gap runs past the agency's limit, often somewhere in the 14 to 30 day range, coverage stops.
That is manageable for a nurse who works back to back with one agency. It is a real problem for a nurse who takes six weeks off in the summer, picks contracts from three agencies, or has a family at home who needs the same pediatrician all year.
| Option | Works well when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Agency plan | You work back to back with one agency and the network fits where you are | Ends with the contract or after a short gap; changes with every agency |
| COBRA | You need a short bridge with the same doctors mid-treatment | You pay the full premium plus a fee |
| Marketplace plan | You qualify for a tax credit, or have a condition you need covered | Built on your tax-home state's networks; often no PPO |
| Private plan on a nationwide PPO network | You are healthy and want one plan for every assignment | Health questions, possible exclusions, and you decline agency coverage |
Losing agency coverage is a qualifying life event, so you get a 60-day window to buy a Marketplace plan any time of year. A private plan can be applied for any month if you are healthy. Read more on coverage between contracts.
Owning your coverage means one network, one deductible and one ID card no matter which agency or state you work in. For travelers it tends to win when:
Travel nurse incomes often run above the 2027 subsidy line of $63,840 for a single person, so a Marketplace plan may be full price. If you are not sure, the calculator takes a minute.
Individual plans are bought in the state where you live, which for most travelers is also their tax home: the permanent residence they keep up while on assignment. The tax-home test and insurance residency are separate rules, but they usually point to the same place, and keeping them consistent avoids questions on both. If your tax home is in Florida and you work in Oregon for 13 weeks, a Florida HMO will not do much for you in Portland. That is the case for a national network. See tax home and your health plan.
Self-employed and 1099 income is counted after expenses. Our free calculator shows which side of the 400% line you land on in about a minute, with results right away and no sign-up.
Most staffing agencies offer health insurance to their W-2 travelers during an assignment, but plans, waiting periods and gap rules differ by agency. Coverage usually ends when the contract ends or after a short gap.
It depends on the agency. Some keep you covered for a short gap if you sign your next contract with them; others end coverage right away. Losing coverage opens a 60-day special enrollment period for a Marketplace plan.
Often, if you take breaks longer than your agency's gap limit, work with several agencies, or want the same network all year. It costs more up front, so ask your agency whether declining benefits raises your pay package.
Yes. Healthy travelers can apply for private medically underwritten plans built on nationwide PPO networks, outside the Marketplace and any month of the year.
Checked October 14, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm before you act.
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