Small-group health insurance in California: the rules
What California law means for a small business offering health insurance, in plain words.
The rules
- Small-group plans are for businesses with 1 to 100 employees.
- Prices depend on age (an older employee can cost up to three times a 21-year-old) and on the business's pricing region; California has 19.
- California doesn't allow higher prices for tobacco use in small-group plans.
- Cal-COBRA lets people who leave a business with fewer than 20 employees keep coverage for up to 36 months.
- California limits level-funded plans for small groups.
Summarized from state law and regulator guidance; your agent can confirm how it applies to your business.
More guides
- How group plans work
What you decide as the owner, where prices come from, enrollment minimums, renewals and the rules in your state. - Metal levels and plan types
Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum; deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums; HMO, PPO and EPO networks; and level-funded plans. - ICHRA in brief
How an ICHRA allowance works: capped cost, classes, the affordability test and what it takes to set one up. - How DwellZip works
From adding your business to choosing a plan: how DwellZip helps small businesses compare health coverage. - Key dates
The dates that matter: coverage start dates, the November 15 to December 15 window, January 1 rate changes and ICHRA notice deadlines.