THE new health law will be a boon to self-employed individuals, who typically pay more for insurance than those covered by group plans. But they will have to wait: the much-anticipated health insurance exchanges, which will provide an easy way for consumers to compare plans and offer federal subsidies to those who qualify, aren’t scheduled to go live until 2014.

For now, self-employed individuals like Marc Farre, a 50-year-old recording artist in Piermont, N.Y., must brave the health insurance terrain on their own. One way to do that is to enlist a seasoned broker, who can help you find a plan that fits your particular situation.

For much of the last two decades, Mr. Farre was able to find affordable plans for himself and his wife, Viviane Bauquet Farre, 46, a private chef and food writer. But as rates skyrocketed and insurance plans grew more complex, finding affordable coverage became “nearly impossible,” he said.

A year and a half ago, Mr. Farre got fed up with his escalating premiums, which had reached $13,200 a year, and called up a local insurance broker, Sadler Hayes, for advice.  Read entire article