All Articles

Plain-language guides on health insurance and employee benefits for small businesses. Written for owners, not HR departments.

• Cost & Affordability
  Small Business Health Insurance Costs Hit a Record High. Here's What Most Owners Don't Know.
  Family premiums reached $26,993 in 2025 — a 6% jump that outpaced wages and inflation. For small business owners, the numbers are even worse. But there's an alternative most aren't using.
  By Marcus Reid · The Benefits Desk · March 2026
• Getting Started
  How a Business With 3 Employees Can Offer Health Benefits Starting This Week
  Step by step, no jargon. Here's exactly how a small employer sets up real health coverage for a small team — without a broker, without a minimum, and without the runaround.
  By Marcus Reid · The Benefits Desk · October 2025
• 1099 & Contractors
  Can an Employer Pay for a 1099 Contractor's Health Insurance?
  The answer most business owners don't expect: yes, with caveats. Here's how to help your 1099 contractors get covered — including a newer model built specifically for mixed workforces.
  By Marcus Reid · The Benefits Desk · October 2025
• How It Works
  No Group Minimum Health Insurance: What It Means and How Small Businesses Use It
  The term sounds like fine print. It isn't. No group minimum is the reason a 3-person accounting firm, a solo contractor, or a 15-person agency can now offer benefits they never could before.
  By Marcus Reid · The Benefits Desk · October 2025