Small Group Health

Health Coverage for
Teams of 1 to 50.

Health insurance is the benefit employees care about most — and the one small business owners dread shopping for. Ken's two decades inside CVS Health and Aetna mean you have someone who actually speaks the language sitting on your side of the table.

Rounding out the package? Pair health with Group Benefits → — life, disability, dental, and vision.

📅 Book Time with the Agency →
How We Help

A Broker on Your Side of the Table

Small group health in Connecticut generally covers employers with 1–50 eligible employees. The market has more options than most owners realize — and the differences between them are exactly where businesses overpay. Ken's job is to run the comparison, translate the fine print, and manage the renewal fight every year.

  • Carrier & plan comparison — side-by-side quotes across CT's small group carriers and metal tiers
  • Contribution strategy — how much you pay vs. employees, structured for budget and fairness
  • Network reality-check — making sure the doctors your team actually uses are in-network
  • Renewal management — we re-shop your group every year so rate increases never go unchallenged
  • Enrollment & admin support — new hires, qualifying events, COBRA questions: call us, not a carrier hotline
CT Small Group Basics
Group size 1–50 employees
Required to offer under 50 FTEs? No — but powerful
Typical employer contribution 50%+ of employee premium
Cost to use a broker $0 — carrier-paid

Rules and rates vary by carrier and change annually — we'll confirm current options for your group.

Beyond the Standard Plan

Four Ways CT Small Businesses Buy Health Coverage

The traditional group plan isn't the only path anymore. The right structure depends on your team's size, health, and geography.

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Traditional Fully-Insured Group Plan

The classic approach: pick a carrier and plan tier, the employer contributes to premiums, everyone gets the same menu. Predictable, simple, and still right for many groups — especially when the census skews older or has known health needs.

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Level-Funded Plans

A hybrid: you pay a level monthly amount, and if your group has a healthy year, you may get money back. Often meaningfully cheaper for younger, healthier teams — with stop-loss protection so a bad year can't blow up your budget.

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ICHRA / QSEHRA (Defined Contribution)

Instead of buying one group plan, you give each employee a fixed tax-advantaged allowance and they choose their own individual plan. Great for distributed teams, part-timers, or businesses that want budget certainty above all.

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Association & Chamber Options

Some Connecticut trade associations and chambers offer member health programs that can beat open-market rates for eligible businesses. Worth checking as part of any comparison — Ken knows which ones are real value and which are marketing.

Common Questions

Small Group Health FAQs

What qualifies as a "small group" in Connecticut?
Generally, employers with 1 to 50 eligible employees. Even very small businesses — including some owner-plus-one setups — can qualify for group coverage. Ken can confirm eligibility for your specific structure in one call.
Am I required to offer health insurance?
Not if you have fewer than 50 full-time-equivalent employees — the federal employer mandate doesn't apply. Many CT small businesses offer it anyway because it's the single strongest recruiting and retention benefit, and employer contributions are generally tax-deductible.
How much will it cost?
It depends on your census (ages, family sizes), the plan tier and network you pick, and how much you contribute. The honest answer is that only a real comparison across carriers shows your numbers — which Ken runs for free. Employers typically cover at least half of the employee-only premium.
What's the difference between a broker and buying direct?
Price is the same either way — broker compensation is built into carrier rates whether you use one or not. The difference is that with KOA you get a market comparison instead of one carrier's pitch, plus a human who handles enrollment, renewals, and problems all year.
Can I combine health with other benefits?
Yes — and you usually should. Pairing small group health with group life, disability, dental, and vision creates a complete package, often with multi-line efficiencies. See our Group Benefits page for the full menu.

Get real health-plan numbers for your actual team.

Send us your headcount and we'll come back with a real comparison — carriers, tiers, and monthly costs.

Start My Group Health Consult 📞 (877) 275-0214