Health insurance guides for employers
Plain-English guides to choosing, funding and switching employee health insurance, written for founders, finance leads and HR teams at startups and small businesses.
Thatch alternatives: seven ways to do this, and what each one costsThatch charges $45 per employee per month plus $50, on top of the allowance. Seven alternatives, what each actually costs, and when the ICHRA model is the wrong answer entirely.
Group vs. individual health insurance: what's the difference?Compare group and individual health insurance: employer contributions, provider networks, subsidies, tax rules and worked examples of total employee costs.
Can I give employees a health insurance stipend instead of a plan?Can employers give a health insurance stipend instead of a plan? How taxable stipends work, why reimbursing premiums pre-tax outside an HRA risks $100-a-day penalties, and alternatives.
What is the most affordable health insurance for a small business?The most affordable ways for a small business to offer health insurance in 2026, what cheap plans really cost employees, and how to cut cost without cutting coverage.
What is self-funded health insurance?What self-funded health insurance is, how it works for small businesses, the risks (stop-loss, state limits, compliance) and what small companies can do instead.
Why did our health insurance renewal go up so much?Why small business health insurance renewals jump 10%, 20% or 40%: medical trend, aging, PEO teaser rates, claims and carrier changes, and what to do before you accept.
How do I get free health insurance for my business?Can a business get free health insurance? An MD's honest answer, plus the real ways to cut cost to near zero: $0 employee premiums, tax credits, HSAs and no admin fees.
What is a QSEHRA, and is it better than a group plan?What a QSEHRA is, the 2026 limits ($6,450 single, $13,100 family), eligibility rules for small employers, and how it compares with ICHRA and a group plan.
What is the best health insurance for a small business?How to choose the best health insurance for a small business in 2026: the criteria that matter, how PEO, ICHRA, carrier and self-funded options compare, and an MD's pick.
How do I leave a PEO?How to leave a PEO without a gap in health coverage: notice periods, timeline, payroll, workers' comp, state tax accounts, COBRA and the data to export first.
How do I run open enrollment at a small company?A small company's open enrollment checklist: timeline, required notices (SBC, Part D, CHIP), employee communication and how to make enrollment take minutes, not weeks.
Employer health insurance glossaryPlain-English definitions of the employer health insurance terms founders and HR teams run into: plan funding, networks, costs, HSAs and HRAs, ACA rules, COBRA and enrollment.
Should we switch from a group plan to ICHRA?Thinking of switching from a group health plan to ICHRA? What changes for employees, the 2026 math, the questions to ask first, and a lower-cost group plan alternative.
How much do employers pay for employee health insurance?Employers paid 84% of single and 74% of family premiums in 2025, about $657 and $1,679 a month per employee. Benchmarks, startup norms, minimums and how to set yours.
Startup deals for health insuranceReal startup deals for health insurance in 2026: investor perks, tax credits, HSA strategies, avoiding PEO teaser rates, and $0 admin fees with Prescience.
HMO vs. PPO vs. EPO: which should your company offer?HMO vs. PPO vs. EPO vs. POS explained by an MD: networks, referrals, out-of-network coverage, cost, and which plan type to offer your employees in 2026.
How does FAANG offer top health benefits?How big tech companies fund rich health benefits: self-funding, direct contracts, navigation and scale. And how a startup can copy the model without 10,000 employees.
Is Gusto health insurance good quality?Is Gusto health insurance good? An MD explains what you actually buy through Gusto (carrier plans, with Gusto as broker), how it's paid, and when to look elsewhere.
How much does employee health insurance cost per month?Average employee health insurance costs per month in 2026: $777 for single and about $2,249 for family coverage, who pays what, why startups pay more, and how to pay less.
Why are insurers and investors pushing ICHRA?Why insurers like Oscar and venture-backed platforms like Thatch are pushing ICHRA: who gains when employer dollars move to the individual market, and who bears the risk.
What is a health savings account (HSA)?An MD explains health savings accounts: how an HSA works, 2026 contribution limits, the new 2026 eligibility rules, and how employers can use HSAs to cut deductibles.
The complete guide to health insurance for YC startupsCompare health insurance options for a YC startup: group plans, PEOs, ICHRA and QSEHRA, with worked budgets, tax examples and an enrollment checklist.
How do I recruit FAANG talent to my startup?How startups win senior hires from Google, Meta and frontier labs: why health benefits decide offers, what candidates compare, and a sample benefits blurb for your offer letter.
How do I get better health benefits as a startup?How startups can offer health benefits that compete with big tech: plan design that matters to candidates, what it costs, and how to pay for it.
Guide to employee health benefits in 2026Employee health benefits in 2026: what premiums cost, what changed (HSAs, marketplace prices, ICHRA), your options as a startup or small business, and how to choose.
Is Rippling PEO worth it?Is Rippling PEO worth it for health insurance? An MD's honest take: what Rippling does well, how PEO health plans are priced as you grow, and when to keep Rippling but leave the PEO.
Is Justworks PEO worth it?Is Justworks PEO worth it for health insurance? An MD's honest take: what Justworks does well, what PEO fees and renewals cost as you grow, and when to switch.
Is Thatch ICHRA worth it?Compare Thatch Standard at $45 PEPM plus compliance fees with Prescience Choice ICHRA at $20 PEPM, including enrollment support and Crystal.
Is ICHRA a scam for your employees?Is ICHRA a scam? Understand the legal rules, allowance limits, age-rated premiums, subsidies and network checks before moving employees to individual plans.
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