Group Medical Insurance For Contract Programmers?

metasim asks: "I'm in the process of starting my own business and working for myself as a consultant/contract programmer in the U.S. Ironically, my major stumbling block in getting this business started is not finding paying clients, but finding affordable health insurance. Is there a *group* medical insurance plan available to contract programmers, either through membership in some association or through some other affiliation? I have a 'pre-existing condition', that although minor, causes individual/family insurance providers to jack up the prices or to not consider me at all."