Practicing independently offers a level of professional freedom that many physicians value. It also means taking on responsibilities that rarely come up during medical training. Health insurance is often one of the more time-consuming pieces to sort through.

We make hundreds of decisions a day. Some are made without a conscious thought, while others require us to pause and weigh the pros and cons. For major health decisions, you know the value of a second opinion to ensure the best outcome. Why should your group health insurance be any different? As premiums rise industry-wide, many physicians find themselves rushed into plans that don't quite fit.

If you're an independent physician, you might assume your only health insurance option is an individual HMO plan. But what if there is a better way?

Open Enrollment is coming to a close. If you’re reviewing your health insurance coverage for 2026, there is still time to look at solutions that may offer more flexibility than you expect and may help you better manage costs - but the time to do so is limited.

The clock is ticking on Open Enrollment for individual health coverage, which closes on December 11th for a January 1, 2026 effective date. This is a critical moment for practice owners and independent physicians to thoroughly evaluate or reevaluate their current group health insurance options, especially since special enrollment options may allow you to secure flexible group PPO coverage even without employees. This little-known window could be the key to managing your costs and improving your benefits for 2026.

There are only two weeks left to take advantage of special group PPO health insurance options.

Open Enrollment is moving quickly, and many Texas physicians are finalizing their coverage for 2026. Before you renew, it’s worth making one important call to TMA Insurance Trust. You may discover you qualify for coverage you didn’t know was possible.

Helping small practice owners and independent physicians secure the best group health insurance coverage has always been part of our mission. Even when it feels like premiums are always climbing, TMA Insurance Trust has worked hard to research and uncover ways for you to see if you qualify for group health insurance, even without employees, and gain more ways to manage costs.

Each year, Open Enrollment offers the opportunity to review your health insurance and make sure it still aligns with how you practice medicine. If you own a small practice or work independently, you may assume your choices are limited to individual coverage, often an HMO or a short-term medical plan.