Small group health insurance in Michigan, without the guesswork.
If you employ fewer than fifty people, you have more options than the carrier quote in front of you. CFH is an independent employee benefits consulting firm. We compare small group plans, tell you what a renewal should look like, and handle enrollment and compliance after you sign. See group benefits in Michigan.
Small group plans follow a few simple rules.
The rules are simpler than most employers expect, and they are friendlier to very small employers than the paperwork suggests.
Who Qualifies
A group plan can be set up with as few as one W-2 employee, and it can start in any month.
Employer Contribution
No employer contribution is required. You can offer an employee-paid plan, or contribute the share that fits your budget.
Carrier Rules
Carriers set their own participation and contribution requirements, so we confirm them before you apply.
Small groups can choose between more than one funding model.
The right structure depends on your claims, your cash flow and how much variation you can absorb. We model the options against your own census before recommending one.
Fully Insured
A fixed premium, with the carrier carrying the risk. The usual starting point and the simplest to run.
Level-Funded
A fixed monthly payment with a possible refund if claims run low. Worth testing for groups with healthy claims.
ICHRA
A set monthly allowance toward coverage each employee chooses. An alternative when a group plan no longer fits.
What you pay comes down to a handful of factors.
Group Census
Ages, locations and the mix of employee-only and family coverage set the starting rate.
Plan Design
Deductibles, copays, networks and pharmacy design change both the premium and what employees pay when they use care.
Your Contribution
How much you contribute changes what employees pay, and whether they choose to enroll.
Run the numbers before you call anyone.
Employer Contribution Calculator
Model what different contribution strategies cost you and your employees.
Renewal Increase Checker
See whether your renewal increase is normal for a group like yours.
ICHRA vs. Group Plan Calculator
Compare the cost of an ICHRA with a traditional group plan.
You get a team, not a quote.
For proper coverage of an account we work in teams of five: an account executive, an account manager, a plan analyst, customer service and IT.
Enrollment Support
Plan-fit calls and enrollment education, so employees choose the coverage that fits them and HR is not answering every question.
Compliance Help
ACA, ERISA and COBRA notices and filings, tracked on a calendar so nothing is missed.
Renewal Management
We review your renewal before you respond to it, and we tell you whether to accept it or go to market.
Small group health insurance in Michigan: common questions.
What is small group health insurance?
Coverage an employer buys for its employees as a single group policy, usually for employers with 50 or fewer employees. BCBSM, for example, offers small group plans to employers with 2 to 50 employees.
Do I have to pay for my employees’ coverage?
No employer contribution is required to set up a group plan. You can offer an employee-paid plan, though many employers contribute to attract and keep people.
When can a small group plan start?
In any month. There is no single enrollment window for setting up a group plan, though carrier deadlines apply, so it pays to start early.
Send us your renewal.
We’ll tell you whether it looks competitive, where we see opportunity, and the five questions we’d put to your carrier. No cost, and no obligation to move anything.
The renewal letter
Your current plan summary
Contribution split by tier
Enrolled counts by tier
Four documents — two more if your group is 50 or more. Nothing else; every extra one is a reason to postpone.
An independent employee benefits consulting firm. We look at the entire benefits program — cost, plan performance, risk and administration.
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