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Healthcare for Business Owners

There's nothing small about small business benefits.

Whether you're new to benefits or are looking to move away from a group plan, you're probably wondering how business owners like you find the right coverage for them. There's a new, tax-free way to reimburse for health insurance. 

  • Manage benefits for an hour or less per month
  • Health insurance on your budget
  • Tax-free, always
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Healthcare for Business Owners

Take Command makes health benefits for business owners simple and easy.

Flexible Designs

No more one-size fits all plans! Small business HRA plans can be customized and designed to achieve your goals. Personalized plan choice will boost employee retention and recruitment.

Simple Administration

Take Command will automatically generate the documents your employees need and can help them search for and enroll in a plan online. 84% of our client spend less than an hour per month with their HRA.

On-Ramp to Benefits

80% of our small business clients are net new to benefits. Small business HRAs are an affordable, simple way to offer scalable benefits to your team on your budget.

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80% of our small business clients are new to benefits

Check out our QSEHRA Guide to learn how this could work for your company and help you save.

best health insurance for business owners

Join the 5,000+ businesses saving on health benefits with Take Command

Union Orthotics and Prosthetics

"Facing a 40% renewal, our broker introduced us to the idea. Take Command provides the tools there for everybody to enroll in very easy formats on the platform."

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Taro Health

"To attract and maintain talent, we needed benefits. Managing our HRA has been simple and hands-off. I spend two hours a month managing and administering it."

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StreamCare

"Take Command has made it simple to set up and administer the small business HRA for StreamCare and we highly recommend it to other small businesses."

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Healthcare for Business Owners

As a business owner, taking care of your health is crucial for the success of your business. You can't afford to be sick or unproductive, and healthcare expenses can quickly add up. That's why it's important to prioritize your health and consider healthcare options that work for you and your business.

Healthcare for business owners can be tricky to navigate, especially if you’re looking for health insurance plans for small business, individual health insurance, or some combination. Small business health insurance plans differ from healthcare for large companies and it’s important for business owners to become familiar with which options are available to them and work best for their specific needs. 

Healthcare options for business owners

Group health insurance is the most well-known option for business owners who want to offer healthcare coverage for their employees. But it’s not the only option. Here are other common methods: 

The size and structure of your business will determine what health insurance and type of coverage works best for you. There’s a lot of information to sift through, so we’ve outline all the options for you in this blog. 

Health insurance for LLC owners

Health insurance for business owners can vary depending on the structure of the business: self-employed health insurance, small business health insurance, health insurance for LLC owners (with and without employees), individual health insurance – you get the idea. So if your business is an LLC, you’re considered self-employed and would need to find self-employed health insurance through the individual health insurance marketplace. 

As an LLC owner, you have several options for health insurance coverage. Here are a few options to consider:

  • Group Health Insurance – If your LLC has employees, you may be able to offer group health insurance coverage for all employees, including yourself. Group health insurance plans typically offer lower premiums and better coverage than individual plans.
  • Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) – If you have a high deductible health plan, you may be eligible for an HSA. HSAs allow you to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for eligible medical expenses, such as doctor visits, prescriptions, and medical procedures. This can help you save money on healthcare expenses and reduce your taxable income.
  • Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans – If your LLC has no employees, you may be able to purchase an ACA plan through the marketplace. ACA plans are required to cover essential health benefits and cannot deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions.
  • Individual Health Insurance – If you do not qualify for group health insurance or an ACA plan, you may need to purchase individual health insurance. This option can be more expensive, but it can offer you the coverage you need.
  • Health Care Sharing Ministries – Another option to consider is a health care sharing ministry. These are faith-based organizations that share healthcare costs among members. While not technically insurance, they can offer an affordable alternative for those who share similar beliefs.
  • Health Reimbursement Arrangements – A popular option for business owners who want to empower employees to select the private insurance plan that works best for them and their families. HRAs also provide tax-advantaged benefits for employers and employees and work with businesses of all sizes. 

It is important to research and compare different options to find the best healthcare coverage for you and your LLC. Consult with a licensed insurance agent or financial advisor to determine the best course of action for your specific situation.

How much will you save with a small business HRA?

Since QSEHRA reimbursements are tax-free, small business owners can enjoy considerable savings. Check out our QSEHRA tax savings calculator to get a savings estimate.

Small business insurance for LLC

If you’re a small business owner there are a few ways to get health insurance for LLC. Here are your small business insurance options:

  • Small group insurance (small business group health insurance)
  • Self-funded plans
  • Medical stipends 
  • Health savings accounts (HSAs) 
  • Health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs)

You may be eligible to purchase small business health insurance for LLC for yourself, depending on how you set up your LLC tax structure. 

If you have no employees (other than yourself), you usually can’t get small business health insurance or a group plan through your LLC, but you can still get individual health insurance. If you get an individual health insurance plan, you can qualify for a single person HRA. 

Self-employed and small business health insurance for LLC owners

Let’s look at different business structures and how that can affect the type of health insurance you can get. If you’re aself-employed LLC owner, in order for you to participate in an HRA, you must be considered an employee of the business. 

 

Here’s a breakdown of business structures and what that means for your small business health insurance for LLC and HRA qualification. 

  • C- Corps are legal entities separate from the owners. Under a C-corporation the business owner and dependents can utilize an HRA!
  • S- Corps prevent businesses from being taxed by passing any profits and losses through shareholders personal income tax returns. Because of this set-up an S-Corp owner that owns more than 2% of the company is considered self-employed and not an employee. The bad news? Since S-Corp owners are not employees, they typically cannot participate in an HRA. The good news? Self-Employed individuals can already deduct some health insurance expenses without an HRA.
  • Partnerships also are not subject to income tax. Partners are directly taxed, making them self-employed and not eligible for participation. The Loophole: if the partner’s spouse is a W-2 employee (and not a partner spouse) then the owner can participate in the HRA as a dependent of the spouse.
  • Sole-Proprietorships are unincorporated businesses owned and operated by one individual with no distinction between the business and owner. The owner is not an employee and will not qualify for the HRA unless their spouse is a W-2 employee, then the owner can access the HRA as a dependent of the spouse (for QSEHRA only).
  • If you’re self-employed with no employees and you’re married, this post walks you through the steps you can take to participate in an HRA.

If you’ve determined you’re eligible for an HRA through one of the qualifications listed above, check out this post to learn more about the types of HRAs that could work for you. 

For a detailed breakdown of healthcare for business owners, check out our Health Insurance for Small Business blog.

Health insurance for small business owners with no employees

So you’re a soloprenuer, a business owner looking for health insurance for small business owners with no employees. What’s the best health insurance for self-employed? Is there affordable health insurance for self-employed? Can you get group health insurance for self-employed if you have no employees? There are so many questions and navigating the small business health insurance scene is confusing. Let’s break this down so it’s easy to understand. 

Generally, if you run your own business and have no employees, or are self-employed, your business won’t qualify for group coverage. You can purchase qualified health coverage through the Marketplace for individuals and families. With an Individual Marketplace plan, you can compare plans and prices to find the coverage that best fits your needs and budget.

Bonus! Take Command has a cool window shopping tool that makes looking for plans on the Marketplace super easy. Check it out! 

If you’re a small business owner with no employees, or you’re the only employee, then you can benefit from an HRA. Since you’re a business of one, group health insurance for self-employed isn’t the best fit for you. You’ll want to search for an individual health insurance plan on the marketplace. When you’re looking for affordable health insurance for self-employed, select the plan that works best for you, and then set up your HRA to receive reimbursement from the business. 

You may also consider a Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement (QSEHRA). QSEHRA is an arrangement that a small business uses to reimburse its employees' qualified medical expenses. The reimbursement is made after the employee incurs a medical expense and submits documentation. A QSEHRA cannot work in conjunction with a group health insurance plan, though.

Important note about individual health insurance plans: When selecting a health insurance provider, consider factors such as customer satisfaction, telemedicine services, and cost. According to Forbes, the average cost for small business owners is $547 per employee per month and $1,175 for family coverage per month.  Some of the best health insurance companies for small businesses include Blue Cross Blue Shield, Oscar, Kaiser Permanente, and UnitedHealthcare.

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Begin designing your ICHRA plan today and be set up in minutes. You could start reimbursing your employees tax-free sooner than you think. 

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Begin designing your health benefits for small business today and be set up in minutes. You could start reimbursing your employees tax-free sooner than you think.

What kind of HRA will work with self-employed health insurance?

  • As a self-employed individual, you may be able use a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) to pay for your healthcare expenses. There are different types of HRAs that may work with-employed health insurance.
  • Individual Coverage HRA (ICHRA): This new type of HRA, which became available in 2020, allows employers, including self-employed individuals, to reimburse employees for individual health insurance premiums and/or qualified medical expenses tax-free. This can be a good option if you want to offer health benefits to yourself as a self-employed individual.
  • Integrated HRA: This type of HRA is designed to work with a group health plan and is not typically available for self-employed individuals who do not have a group health plan. However, it may be possible to use an integrated HRA if you have a spouse who is employed and has a group health plan.
  • One-person 105 HRA: The Self-Insured Medical Reimbursement Plan states that Section 105 HRAs must be integrated with a group health insurance plan, but it doesn’t specify the size of that group. So small business owners with no employees, solopreneurs, party of one – this works for you! There’s no clause states that you, as a self-employed individual, can’t participate in an individual health care plan and integrate it with an HRA. As long as no additional employees are being discriminated against through their exclusion from the HRA, you’re good to go. For a more in-depth discussion of One-person 105 HRAs, check out this article.
  • Qualified Small Employer HRA (QSEHRA): As we mentioned earlier, a QSEHRA is an HRA plan reserved for businesses with 50 or fewer employees. Depending on how you structure your business, a QSEHRA is a viable option for your health benefits as a business owner with no employees because, well, 1 is less than 50 so you qualify for QSEHRA! If you’re the owner and considered an employee rather than employer, you can participate in your HRA small business health insurance. 

Sound interesting?

Take a look at this article to ensure you satisfy the legal requirements set in place by the IRS regarding QSEHRAs.

Still not sure? Our expert team is standing by and would love to talk you through your options. 

Important note about HRAs: Not all self-employed individuals will be eligible for an HRA. To be eligible, you must have a self-employed business that generates income and you must not be eligible for coverage through a spouse's employer or another group health plan.

You should consult with a licensed insurance agent or financial advisor to determine which type of HRA is best for your specific situation.

Health insurance for small business with one employee

Small businesses with one employee can enroll in group health insurance through the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP). SHOP is a government-sponsored program that makes small business health insurance plans available to businesses with fewer than 50 employees. The SHOP group health insurance program is designed to be simple and flexible, allowing employers to choose from a range of plans and customize coverage to fit their needs. Business owners can offer their employees one plan or a selection of plans to choose from. 

Your small business may also qualify for an HRA. Contact the Take Command team to see which HRA is the best fit for your business. Schedule a call today! 

Health insurance for employees small business

Like we described above, SHOP health insurance is a common choice for small business owners. Here are some other options to consider when choosing a business health insurance plan. Options for best health insurance for small business include:

  • Group Health Insurance: Small businesses can purchase group health insurance for their employees, which is often offered through insurance brokers or directly from insurance companies.
  • Health Savings Accounts (HSAs): HSAs allow employees to set aside money tax-free for medical expenses. Employers can contribute to their employees’ HSAs, which can reduce their own taxable income.
  • Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs): HRAs are employer-funded accounts that can be used to reimburse employees for out-of-pocket medical expenses.

At Take Command, we (obviously) think HRAs are the best option for small business employer health insurance. Employees get to pick the individual health insurance plan that works best for them and get reimbursed for premiums and qualified medical expenses through the employer. Win-win!

And it’s also tax advantaged. So win-win….win?

We think so! 

Affordable health insurance for small business owners

Finding affordable health insurance for small business owners isn’t easy. In fact, due to small business health insurance costs, many employers opt out all together. If your business has fewer than 50 employees, you aren’t required to offer health coverage (though it is a nice perk if you want to attract and keep good people). 

With an HRA, small business owners can reduce small business health insurance costs by empowering employees to shop health insurance plans on the marketplace. The employee pays for their individual health insurance plan and the employer reimburses them (tax free!) for the costs of qualified medical expenses. It’s a smart way to avoid ever increasing small business health insurance costs and put the power back into the hands of your team. And it’s one of the best ways to get affordable health insurance for small business owners.

Health reimbursement arrangements for small business

An HRA is an employer-funded health benefit used to reimburse employees for qualified medical expenses that may even include health insurance premiums. HRAs provide a tax benefit to the employer and employee. HRAs are not health insurance, and we mean this in a good way. HRAs provide your small business with all the benefits you love from traditional small business group plans without all drawbacks. HRAs are an excellent way for small businesses to offer employees personalized and flexible health benefits to pay for specific healthcare services that meet their individual needs. They're an incredibly cost-effective option for employers that can't afford small business health insurance plans.

 

Two popular HRAs for small business owners

  1. Qualified Small Employer HRA (QSEHRA) A company-funded health benefit that reimburses employees for qualified medical expenses.
  2. Individual Coverage HRA (ICHRA): Businesses of all sizes can use ICHRA — including non-profits and churches — to reimburse employees tax-free for the cost of their health insurance premiums and other healthcare expenses.  

Best options for HRAs employer health insurance 

Employers can use HRAs to reimburse employees for the cost of their own individually purchased health insurance. HRAs are also commonly used to cover coinsurance payments, prescription medications, and other qualified medical expenses.

There are two types of HRAs that would be great small business health insurance (rather, reimbursement). These include QSEHRA and ICHRA are the premier health benefits plans Take Command offers. 

 

ICHRA: the individual coverage HRA reimburses employees for insurance rather than buying it for them. It also brings a design feature that allows owners to scale benefits by class.

It offers the most flexibility and is a top choice for businesses with a mixed workforce. There are 11 ICHRA employee classes (categories of employees), and the employer can choose how much to reimburse each class. For example, full-time vs. part-time employees, seasonal employees, and salaried vs. non-salaried employees can each have a different reimbursement arrangement.

  • ICHRA works for companies of any size, from start-ups to large companies.
  • There are no reimbursement limits.
  • You can combine ICHRA with a group plan.

QSEHRA: the qualified small employer HRA (sometimes called a small business HRA) allows small employers to set aside a fixed amount of money each month that employees can use to purchase individual health insurance or use on medical expenses, tax-free.

  • Perfect fit for small businesses because it works for those with fewer than 50 employees.
  • There are QSEHRA contribution limits. For 2023, businesses with less than 50 employees can contribute a maximum of $5,850 for individual employees (this adds up to $487.50 per month) and a contribution of $11,800 for employees with a family (this adds up to $983.33 per month).
  • It can’t be combined with a group plan.

Unlike ICHRA, QSEHRA reimbursements must be the same for everyone, but you can vary by age and family size.

With an HRA, you can remove the headache of traditional business-offered health insurance plans and put the power back into the hands of your team by providing reimbursements for qualified health care expenses.

If you want to dive deeper into ICHRA and QSEHRA, we have comprehensive guides (here and here), and FAQ pages (here and here).

 

Group health insurance for small business

While traditional group health insurance is the most understood health benefit for employees, it’s not the only one, and it’s not always the best health insurance for small businesses. 

 

Group plans for small business health insurance have many drawbacks. They are expensive, one-size-fits-all, require minimum participation rates, and are financially unpredictable. However, monthly premium amounts can be out of reach for small employers with limited budgets. Additionally, minimum participation requirements leave most small organizations with only one or two policies. As a result, many employees may not get the policy they want, or their healthcare needs may need to be covered.

All of these reasons are why business owners are letting their employees chose their health insurance coverage option and reimbursing them with an HRA. 

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