There are many steps involved in hiring a new employee. But, when it comes to self-employed truck drivers, more pitfalls await them. With no social security number or comprehensive health insurance, how can anyone judge if the truck driver is safe? This article looks at how employers might be able to improve their hiring practices by offering critical illness insurance coverage.
What is truck driving?
Truck drivers are at risk of becoming incapacitated and unable to work. Many truck drivers are not offered health insurance for their everyday job, leading to increasing medical costs without lifetime benefits or the possibility that they may die on the job. Local governments should raise the premiums above those paid by less dangerous industries and implement a retirement program.
The costs of the driving a truck are too high
Truck drivers often have to wait for commercial breaks. This gives them some spare time to work on their computer and catch up on emails from home or from social media websites. Truck drivers face many dangers on the road and cannot afford to miss a day of work because of illness. The risks involved in driving cars make it best for companies to either provide health insurance for all their employees or offer it specifically for their truck driver population.
Who needs health insurance?
The truck industry is a large contributor to the economy and one of the largest employers in the United States. Truck drivers are continuously traveling, making all types of deliveries, and staying on the road for long periods at a time. Without health insurance, truckers are left to cover their own medical costs through catastrophic health care plans purchased privately out-of-pocket or by drawing from savings that can get depleted quickly.
Who does not need health insurance?
A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that 28% of personal truck drivers do not have health insurance. This makes up 39 million uninsured individuals. Truck drivers employed by major delivery companies such as UPS, FedEx, and Amazon usually have their own private health insurance. Since they are independent contractors and contracted to deliver packages cheaply, these companies cannot afford to cover the truck driver’s healthcare costs.
Background on how to get health insurance with a masters degree
With the rising costs of healthcare insurance and many truck drivers already providing professional truck driving services while not being able to continue with the cost of their health insurance, employers are challenged in finding ways to deliver the benefits they need to their employees. Truck driving companies or organizations that run trucks will have a tough time operating at a reasonable level. I propose that trucking companies offer to cover a percentage of their driver’s health insurance instead of just offering pay increases in order for an individual to obtain insurance on their own.
Insurance companies discriminate against truck drivers as they believe they cannot get preventive care. This lack of preventive care may lead to an increased risk of disease and decreased productivity from their jobs.
Local governments should raise the premiums above those paid by less dangerous industries and implement a retirement program. Also the process of getting an international driving license should be easier and more accessible.
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In a study of trucks driving 45 days out of the year, cigarettes and overeating were identified as two leading causes of major preventable diseases in these drivers. These dangerous habits that are leading to costly and preventable health problems among freight trucks should likely be targeted because they can be averted prior to their onset with health insurance.
You can still use Trucker Health Insurance, other options must be
If you allow the driver to use their TRUCKER HEALTH INSURANCE benefits and they
become negligent with their vehicle, they can still be considered an employee and be
injured or killed on the job. Truckers are a Class B Highway Occupational
Vehicle Operator Permit Holders so insurance is available for them even if a Class B license
is not being used.