It's a massive leap! Because of the state of the UK economy and the rise of 'gig' jobs, I ended up going self-employed by accident. That is, I was 'hired' by an SEO company who later told me I had to register as self-employed, or as a sole trader in the UK. Since then the only work I have is on a self-employed basis. I do prefer the freedom it gives - and if the value of SBD keeps going up maybe Steemit will be a valid source of income!

Sorry to hear about your insurance difficulties, btw - I'm in the UK and we have the NHS, which is free at the point of delivery. It's maybe the most beloved institution in the UK, although not without its problems. I feel really sorry for Americans, because on average they pay almost double what we pay for expensive insurance premiums, but get worse healthcare and often not even full coverage. But it's also hard to comment on another country's politics!