Guest commentary: Protect your top business assets — Your employees
By Covered California
Running a business is the culmination of a dream and the execution of a vision. While managing your own business comes with immense opportunity, it also comes with a slew of challenges.
From finding the right talent and managing payroll, to ordering inventory and handling marketing, you’re busy — and every decision you make really matters.
So, when it comes to finding the right health insurance option for yourself, your family and your employees, it can feel overwhelming. You have so many things that need to get done, and you don’t want to get health insurance benefits wrong.
That’s where Covered California — and if your business has fewer than 100 employees — Covered California for Small Business (CCSB) can help.
Covered California can connect you, your family and your employees with health and dental insurance, and it’s the only place to get financial help to pay for your premiums. This year alone, 83,000 people throughout the Central Coast are enrolled in health insurance coverage through Covered California.
If you’re seeking health coverage for you and your family, Covered California’s offerings in the Central Coast include Blue Shield, Kaiser Permanente and Anthem Blue Cross plans, so you can find the coverage that best fits your needs.
It’s currently Covered California’s special-enrollment period, when individuals in California can sign up if they experience a qualifying life event, like losing health insurance, getting married, having a baby or permanently moving to or within the state.
But, as an employer, you can buy health insurance for your employees at any time during the year. CCSB offers four levels of coverage — Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum — each with multiple options, including HMO and PPO plans. We make it easy for you to choose up to four adjoining levels of coverage, providing your employees with a choice of multiple health insurance plans from top companies.
With CCSB, you can easily manage enrollment, renewals, switch plans and update employee information through the MyCCSB online portal, with expert support available. Plus, you can enjoy the convenience of one consolidated monthly bill.
Managing your business expenses properly is important for long-term success, which is why we offer competitive pricing and financial help for small businesses that qualify, available only through CCSB.
What you pay depends on factors like the location of your business, the ages of your employees and the health and dental plans you select. By offering a selection of plans and coverage levels, employers can control contributions while allowing employees to pick the plans that fit their budgets. Some small businesses may also qualify for tax credits, which can significantly reduce the cost of insurance.
Federal tax credits are designed to help small businesses and tax-exempt organizations afford the cost of covering their employees. Small businesses buying health insurance through CCSB could get tax credits, with the amount based on business size and average annual wage. Smaller businesses with lower wages can qualify for bigger credits.
So, does your business qualify? An employer is eligible for CCSB if:
• You have at least one but no more than 100 eligible employees and meet certain contribution and participation requirements.
• Your principal business address is in California, or you offer health insurance to each eligible employee at that employee’s primary worksite.
• You offer CCSB insurance to all eligible employees.
• You have at least one employee who receives a W-2 that is not the owner or spouse of the owner.
• The majority of your eligible employees are employed in California.
• You contribute at least 50% of the lowest cost employee-only plan to your selected metal tier for eligible employees’ premiums.
Navigating health insurance can be confusing and complicated, so if you’re ready to get started or need assistance, contact CCSB at (844) 332-8384 for a quote or submit an application on MyCCSB.com. You can also get help from a Certified Enroller to get accurate pricing information tailored to your specific situation.
Running a business is hard, but getting high-quality health insurance for you and your employees doesn’t have to be. Visit CoveredCA.com/forsmallbusiness/ to get started and make 2026 a thriving year for you and your business.
Covered California is a free service that connects Californians with brand-name health insurance under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
