With this partnership, shoppers and drivers working with Shipt can purchase health insurance, dental and vision coverage through Stride’s benefits platform, the companies said in a Thursday (Nov. 16) press release.

Additionally, shoppers and drivers can seek eligibility for Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits, which can help lower the overall cost of their coverage, according to the release.

This is especially beneficial for independent contractors, as Stride Health has found that cost, a complicated system and a lack of awareness of the availability of tax credits are barriers to accessing healthcare for this group of workers, the release said.

“We need to work to close this gap to ensure people are getting the coverage they need,” Noah Lang, CEO and co-founder of Stride Health, said in the release. “We’re incredibly proud to be expanding our audience and partnering with Shipt to ensure shoppers and drivers everywhere have access to affordable healthcare coverage for themselves and their families.”

In addition to accessing health, dental and vision coverage, shoppers and drivers with Shipt can also use Stride’s app to track their mileage and expenses, which can help lower their tax bill, according to the press release. They also have access to Stride’s customer service team of licensed agents who can assist them in maximizing their benefits.

The partnership between Shipt and Stride Health launched on Nov. 1, the first day of the 2024 Open Enrollment Period, the release said. Shoppers and drivers can visit the website to find a health plan for the upcoming year.

The rise of more formalized gig and creator economies is providing opportunities to modernize work-related healthcare and other benefits for nontraditional workers, Lang told PYMNTS’ Karen Webster in an interview posted in December 2021.

“Many people [are] decoupling from traditional employment and ending up in a creator economy or a delivery economy,” Lang said at the time. That means “more people need to get their own insurance. Cracks [are] starting to show in the traditional economy’s benefit structure.”