Page Text: Health insurance support for Substack writers.
The Substack Health program helps writers find health insurance and cover the cost of insurance premiums.
Apply for a stipend Find a health plan
Independence shouldn’t cost writers their health.
It can be daunting to find good healthcare options as an independent writer, especially in the United States. Since we started Substack, we’ve aspired to take care of as much as possible for writers so they can focus on writing.
The Substack Health program helps writers find a health plan and get support with covering the cost of insurance.
Apply for a $500 stipend to use towards health insurance.
Enrolling in healthcare as an independent writer can be expensive. For U.S. Substack writers who make at least US$5,000 in gross annualized revenue, we’re offering one-time $500 stipends to use towards the cost of health insurance premiums.
Applications are open until January 20, 2022 at 11:59pm PT.
Apply now
Find an affordable health plan.
Need health insurance? We’re partnering with HealthSherpa to make finding or updating a health plan less confusing.
Any Substack writer can receive recommendations, compare options, and call (or chat) with a member of HealthSherpa’s Consumer Advocate team to find the right plan.
Reminder: U.S. open enrollment runs from November 1, 2021 to January 15, 2022. State deadlines may vary.
Frequently asked questions.
What are the eligibility requirements for the stipend?
To qualify for the stipend as a Substack writer you must meet all of the following criteria:
Make at least $5k gross annualized revenue with your Substack publication
Have published at least one Substack post in the last 30 days
Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national
Live in the U.S.
Be enrolled in a health plan and pay out of pocket for at least a portion of your insurance premiums.
What if I’m currently uninsured?
We’d love to support you in getting coverage and enrolling in a health plan. Any interested writer (regardless of revenue on Substack) can check out substack.healthsherpa.com to find a health plan that fits their needs. Uninsured writers who meet all other stipend eligibility requirements can apply for the stipend and receive conditional approval. We’ll request proof of enrollment before sending the stipend.
What about writers outside of the U.S.?
We aspire to support all Substack writers with services like Substack Health and beyond. We’ve started with a focus on U.S. writers so we can learn about how to most effectively expand our work.
If I’m approved for the stipend, when will I receive the money?
Stipend payments to help writers pay for health insurance premiums will be scheduled to go out in January 2022.
How is the stipend taxed?
The stipend should be considered taxable income. Recipients are responsible for figuring out and paying their own taxes.
Can I receive multiple stipends if I write more than one Substack?
For now, each eligible writer can receive one stipend through the Substack Health program.
What if my Substack publication has multiple writers?
One stipend is available for each publication that meets the program’s criteria.
What about writers who qualify for the stipend after the application period closes?
For now, this program is limited to writers who qualify for the stipend within the allotted time frame. We will explore an expansion of the Substack Health program after this first iteration.
Read
Discover Featured Substack Reader Top in culture Top podcasts Top in food & drink Top in finance Top in sports Top in politics Top in technology Top in faith Top in business
Writers