This is one of the most valuable decisions a travel nurse makes, and recruiters rarely lay out both sides. Let's make the trade-off clear so you can choose with numbers.
Option A: Take the Agency Health Plan
Pros: it's handled for you, and the premium is often subsidized by the agency. Cons: it can end between contracts, networks may be regional, and you give up the stipend or higher pay you'd get by declining it.
Option B: Decline It, Take the Stipend, Buy Your Own
Pros: you pocket the stipend/higher rate, choose a portable national-network plan, and keep coverage continuous across contracts. With subsidies based on your income, your own plan may cost less than the stipend you're given — a net gain. Cons: you manage it yourself (which is what an agent is for).
Agency Plan
- May lapse between assignments
- Possibly regional network
- You forgo the stipend
Stipend + Own Plan
- Continuous, portable coverage
- National PPO network
- Subsidy may beat the premium
Don't Forget the Hidden Value of Portability
Even when the dollars are close, a plan that doesn't lapse between contracts and works nationwide has real value the spreadsheet doesn't capture — no gaps, no re-enrollment, no surprise at an out-of-network ER on assignment.
Run the Stipend-vs-Plan Math
Tell us your decline-insurance stipend and home state — we'll price your own plan against it.
Compare the Two →Frequently Asked Questions
Should I take my travel nursing agency's insurance or the stipend?
Compare the stipend you'd get for declining insurance against the cost of your own subsidized Marketplace plan. Often the stipend exceeds the subsidized premium, and you also gain portable, continuous coverage.
What should I ask my recruiter?
Ask what your pay or stipend is if you decline their insurance. That difference is the amount your own plan needs to beat in the comparison.
Is my own plan really cheaper than the agency's?
It can be, because subsidies are based on your income. A licensed agent can quote a plan for your tax-home state and compare it to the stipend so you decide with real numbers.
What's the advantage of buying my own plan?
Continuous coverage that doesn't lapse between contracts, a national PPO network for nationwide assignments, and you keep the stipend — often a net financial gain plus less hassle.
Does my own plan depend on my assignment location?
No — an individual plan is based on your tax-home state, not your current assignment, so it travels with you.
📚 Sources & Authoritative References
Facts in this article are verifiable against the public sources below.
Keep the Stipend AND Better Coverage
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