All of that is true. I have preexisting conditions; relying on my employer for insurance was a bit of a mess. Some jobs would have insurance that the best plan

All of that is true. I have preexisting conditions; relying on my employer for insurance was a bit of a mess. Some jobs would have insurance that the best plan would cost maybe 8k more out of pocket in a year (compared to the previous employer). Maybe the FSA was really bad/they would not reimburse things they should/force you to appeal 3 times for every transaction (Imagine spending 5 hours a month fighting with the FSA program about giving you your own money). Getting a contract is stressful, but I've found job security is basically non existent anyway, so if I couldn't find b2b work I could always take traditional w2 or 1099 work. When I switched I was expecting more stress, and less stability. A few years in though, I feel better than I did in fte roles. It might not be for everyone, but it's worked for me so far.