Same rates.
Vastly different outcomes.
In California's small group market, every broker accesses the same fully insured ACA-compliant rates. What separates a great benefits program from an expensive one isn't the shopping — it's the expertise behind the design, administration, and ongoing management.
Shopping brokers won't lower your rates.
For groups under 100 employees on fully insured ACA-compliant plans, carriers file one set of rates with the state. Every broker pulls from the same table. The savings don't come from "finding a better deal" — they come from designing a plan that fits your workforce, negotiating group structures, and running administration so tightly that nothing slips through the cracks.
Most companies under 300 employees receive pooled rates as well, which means the market is even more level. The differentiator is never the quote — it's what happens after you pick a plan.
Same rates, same carriers
Every licensed broker accesses identical filed rates for small group ACA plans. If someone promises a lower price for the same plan, they're selling something else.
Pooled pricing under 300
Most employers under 300 employees sit in pooled rate bands. That makes carrier shopping even less impactful — and program design even more important.
Design beats discounting
The real savings come from plan architecture, contribution strategies, HSAs, voluntary layering, and utilization management — not from broker shopping.
Administration is half the cost
A poorly administered program creates billing errors, compliance gaps, employee confusion, and turnover. We run it so your team doesn't have to.
Beyond fully insured — self-funded, level-funded, and partially self-funded plans.
For groups that have outgrown the small group pooled market, we evaluate self-funded, partially self-funded, and level-funded medical insurance options. These arrangements can deliver meaningful savings and plan design flexibility — but only when matched to the right risk profile, stop-loss strategy, and administrative infrastructure.
Level-funded
Fixed monthly payments with a surplus refund potential. A predictable bridge between fully insured and self-funded for groups ready to take on measured risk.
Partially self-funded
Share risk with the carrier on specific claims bands while retaining control over plan design and provider networks.
Fully self-funded
Maximum control, maximum transparency, and maximum savings potential — with the right stop-loss protection and claims administration partner.
Expertise you can measure.
Because rates are fixed, the only levers that matter are the ones we actually control: plan design, employee education, compliance execution, and technology integration.
HSA / HRA / FSA
We design pre-tax health savings and reimbursement strategies that lower payroll taxes and out-of-pocket costs for both employer and employee.
COBRA Administration
Full COBRA compliance: notices, election periods, premium collection, and carrier coordination — handled start to finish.
Compliance & Reporting
ACA reporting, 5500 filings, ERISA, SPDs, and California-specific requirements — prepared correctly and on time.
We don't just place plans. We consult on the systems that run them.
Our team has deep, hands-on experience with benefits administration platforms, HRIS systems, payroll integrations, and HCM technology stacks. That means we can consult on your entire employee management ecosystem — not just the insurance piece.
Whether you're evaluating a new HRIS, migrating payroll platforms, or trying to get your benefits enrollment to sync cleanly with your time and labor system, we've done it before. We speak the language of implementation, not just sales.
- Benefits administration platform selection
- HRIS & payroll integration strategy
- Open enrollment technology and employee self-service
- Carrier EDI setup and ongoing file management
- HCM stack audits and consolidation planning
- COBRA administration systems and automation
- Compliance tracking and proactive alert calendars
Stop shopping. Start designing.
If you've been comparing broker quotes and wondering why the numbers look identical, it's because they are. Let's talk about what actually moves the needle for your team.