Small Business Coverage
Small Business Health Insurance: Group Plans, ICHRA, and QSEHRA
Health insurance for your business — without the confusion.
You want to take care of your people, but small business health insurance comes with a lot of choices and rules. I help small business owners in Colorado and 31 other states compare traditional group plans with newer options like ICHRA and QSEHRA, plus dental, vision, and supplemental benefits — and find what works for your team and your budget. My help costs you nothing.
Who This Is For
Small business owners who want to offer health benefits to their employees — whether you're offering benefits for the first time, hiring your first employees, or looking for a better solution than what you have now.
Your Options for Small Business Health Benefits
Small businesses have more choices than ever. The three main paths are a traditional group health plan, an Individual Coverage HRA (ICHRA), and a Qualified Small Employer HRA (QSEHRA). Each works differently for your budget, your paperwork, and your employees' choice of plans — and the right fit depends on how many people you employ, where they live, and how much you want to contribute. Businesses with fewer than 50 full-time-equivalent employees aren't required by federal law to offer coverage, so you can choose what makes sense for your team.
Traditional Group Health Insurance
With a group plan, your business buys coverage from an insurer and offers one or more plans to your employees. Small group plans follow ACA rules, so employees can't be turned down or charged more because of their health. Insurers usually require the business to pay part of the premium and a minimum share of eligible employees to enroll. Group plans are familiar to employees and can include dental and vision, but you take on more of the cost and administration.
ICHRA: Give Employees an Allowance Instead of a Group Plan
With an Individual Coverage HRA (ICHRA), you set a monthly allowance and employees choose their own ACA-compliant individual health plan. You reimburse their premiums tax-free up to the amount you set, and there's no federal cap on how much you can offer. Businesses of any size can use an ICHRA, and you can set different allowances for different classes of employees, such as full-time and part-time workers.
ICHRA gives you a predictable budget and gives each employee a choice of plans. One rule to know: an employee who is offered an affordable ICHRA can't also receive marketplace tax credits. I help both sides — setting up the allowance with you, and helping each employee choose a plan.
QSEHRA: A Simple Option for Very Small Businesses
A Qualified Small Employer HRA (QSEHRA) is for businesses with fewer than 50 full-time-equivalent employees that don't offer a group health plan. You choose a monthly allowance, employees buy their own coverage, and you reimburse them tax-free up to annual limits set by the IRS — $6,450 for self-only coverage and $13,100 for family coverage in 2026, adjusted each year. Because a QSEHRA reduces any marketplace tax credit an employee receives, it's important to set the allowance with your team's situation in mind.
The Small Business Health Care Tax Credit
If you have fewer than 25 full-time-equivalent employees, pay average wages below an annually adjusted limit, and cover at least half of your employees' premiums for a plan bought through the SHOP marketplace, you may qualify for a federal tax credit of up to 50% of the premiums you pay. The credit is available for two consecutive years. I'll help you check whether your business qualifies before you choose a plan.
What I Help You With
Explaining every option available to you in plain language — no jargon, no confusion
Assessing your team’s situation and finding coverage that fits
Getting your people enrolled from start to finish
Helping your team understand their coverage
Supporting you and your people long after your plan is in place
Dental, Vision, and Supplemental Benefits
Dental, vision, and supplemental coverage can be added to a health plan or offered on their own. Many businesses offer them as voluntary benefits that employees pay for through payroll, which gives your team valuable options at little or no cost to the business. I'll help you decide what to include and how to set it up.
Always Free to You
Everything I do is completely free. No hidden fees, no surprises. I'm paid by the insurance carriers, so your rates are the same whether you work with me or not.
Small Business Health Insurance FAQ
How many employees do I need for a group health plan?
Many insurers offer small group plans to businesses with at least one eligible employee other than the owner and spouse, though rules vary by state and insurer. If it's just you, individual plans are usually the better fit.
What's the difference between ICHRA and QSEHRA?
Both reimburse employees tax-free for individual coverage. QSEHRA is only for businesses with fewer than 50 full-time-equivalent employees and has annual IRS limits. ICHRA works for businesses of any size, has no federal cap, and lets you set different allowances for different employee classes.
Do I have to pay for my employees' coverage?
Businesses with fewer than 50 full-time-equivalent employees aren't required to offer coverage. If you choose a group plan, insurers usually require you to pay part of the premium; with an ICHRA or QSEHRA, you decide the allowance.
Can I offer dental and vision without a health plan?
Yes. Dental, vision, and supplemental plans can be offered on their own, including as voluntary benefits your employees pay for.
Do you work with businesses outside Colorado?
Yes. I'm licensed in 32 states and work with business owners online by phone or video.
Does your help cost anything?
No. I'm paid by the insurance carriers, so your rates are the same whether you work with me or not.
Last reviewed October 2026 by Heath Heimlich, licensed health insurance advisor (NPN 8799018). General information, not tax or legal advice. Sources: IRS (Rev. Proc. 2025-32; Small Business Health Care Tax Credit); HealthCare.gov.