Small employers in Los Angeles compete for staff block by block. A health plan is often what keeps a good worker from leaving. We place group employee health benefits for companies in Los Angeles County, and nothing else. This page explains how a small group plan actually works.
You may already be big enough
One eligible employee is enough to start a small group in California. The worker who counts cannot be you or your spouse. So a two person operation with one real hire often qualifies. We check your payroll list against the carrier rule before you apply.
Participation is the other test. Carriers want a share of your eligible staff enrolled or formally waived. A worker covered by a spouse can waive without hurting you. We count the waivers with you before anything is submitted.
What goes in the package
- Group medical, the plan that does the heavy lifting for your staff.
- Group dental, which workers tend to use within the first month.
- Group vision, a small line item that gets noticed.
- Voluntary benefits your staff elect and fund by payroll deduction.
Voluntary lines are worth a word. The company offers them and the worker chooses. The cost comes out of the worker's check, not the company account. On a tight budget that is a way to widen the menu.
Networks and where your staff live
Los Angeles is wide, and your staff do not all live near the shop. Some commute in from Glendale, Pasadena, or South Gate. A narrow HMO network can work well when the doctors sit near home. A PPO costs more and asks fewer questions about referrals.
An EPO is the middle road, with a set network and no referral step. None of the three is right for every team. We ask your key people which doctors they see now. Then we hold those names against each network we are quoting.
Renewal, done properly
Our renewal routine
- 01
Early look
We ask the carrier for your renewal before it lands in your inbox. That gives us room to work.
- 02
Back to market
We re-quote your census across the carriers we hold, every year.
- 03
Two sided math
We model the company cost and the worker cost for each option. Owners often change their mind once they see both.
- 04
Switch or stay
Either answer is fine. We file the paperwork and set the new start date.
Enrollment with a mixed staff
Many Los Angeles teams speak more than one language at work. Our agents run the meeting in English or Spanish, so it lands. Each person gets a written summary, a form, and a date. We follow up with whoever has not turned theirs in.
We meet on video, by phone, or at your place of work. We serve employers from the 90015 and 90017 ZIP codes out to the county edge. New hires during the year get the same treatment. Send us the name and the start date, and we watch the waiting period.
A worker turning 65
That person has choices to weigh, and employer size shapes them. Point them to Medicare in Los Angeles and then call us.
Not our lane
We do not give legal or tax advice. Some questions belong with other professionals, and we will say so rather than guess.
- Pay runs and deduction codes: your payroll provider.
- Tax questions about what the company pays: your CPA.
- Contractor or employee calls: an employment attorney.
- Retirement plans and savings plans: a financial advisor.
- Property, auto, liability, and workers compensation: an agency that writes them.
Our help costs your company nothing extra, and we will tell you if a group plan is the wrong move. Call (714) 922-0043 or use the contact form. You can read why employers work with us or see how we serve your city.
Group health benefits options for Los Angeles residents
Why Los Angeles residents work with us
- Licensed agents who work with you in English or Spanish.
- Independent - we compare 12 carriers, not one.
- We work with you in English or Spanish, from the first call to enrollment.
- Same agent year-over-year - no call-center rotation.