How Small Businesses Can Offer Affordable Benefits Without Breaking the Bank
Intro: If you're a small to mid Size business owner you’ve probably felt the sting of trying to offer traditional health insurance. It’s expensive, complicated, and often feels like more trouble than it’s worth. But the good news is: you have options.
At Planstin, we help small businesses like yours build smart, affordable benefits packages that provide real value—without the bloated costs of big insurance. Whether you're looking to offer minimum essential coverage, explore a healthshare option like Zion HealthShare, or break free from network restrictions, we’ve got a solution that fits.
Why Traditional Insurance Isn’t Always the Right Fit for Small Businesses
Skyrocketing premiums eat into your margins
Complex networks and coverage gaps frustrate employees
High deductibles leave employees feeling unprotected
Not ideal for teams under 50 people
For many small businesses, the old way just doesn’t work anymore.
Modern Alternatives That Actually Work
Here’s how companies are getting creative—and saving money—without sacrificing quality of care:
✅ Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) Plans
MEC plans are designed to cover all ACA-required preventive services, keeping your business compliant and protecting your employees from common out-of-pocket costs.
Great baseline coverage
Affordable monthly premiums
Helps you avoid IRS penalties
✅ Minimum Value (MV) Plans
MV plans go beyond preventive care to include things like doctor visits, urgent care, labs, and more. It’s a leaner version of traditional insurance that keeps costs predictable for both you and your employees.
ACA-compliant
Covers a broader range of services
Smart for growing teams who want more coverage at a better price
✅ Zion HealthShare
Looking for a flexible, community-based alternative to insurance? Zion HealthShare is a modern healthshare program that works for all types of businesses—no religious affiliation required.
Often 40–60% less than traditional insurance
Includes services like telemedicine and maternity care
Employees can access care anywhere—no network restrictions
Works well alongside MEC plans
✅ Greater Access with Fair Priced Healthcare
Traditional PPO and HMO networks often limit your options—only 30-40% of providers may accept your insurance. With Planstin, we break those barriers:
Any provider willing to accept fair pricing is eligible—many are happy to work with us on cash-pay rates.
Our Care Coordination Team helps employees find providers, schedule appointments, and negotiate costs—maximizing access to care.
In most areas, this approach increases provider availability from 30% to over 70%.
Additionally, our ERISA products are level-funded, meaning the pricing is predictable, and the stop-loss coverage is included—no separate underwriting process is required. This makes it easy for businesses to offer quality benefits without the usual headaches.
Need flexibility? Want to keep your current plans? No problem. Businesses can keep their current products while upgrading some products to Planstin’s offerings. This allows for a smooth transition, offering the best of both worlds while improving benefits at a pace that works for your company.
Who We Work With Planstin is built for businesses that want smarter benefits without the insurance headaches. We work best with:
Any small to mid size business (minimum 2 W-2 employees)
Remote or distributed teams
Organizations tired of networks and inflated premiums
Final Thoughts: You Have Options Affordable benefits don’t have to mean bare-bones coverage. With Planstin, you can build a customized package that’s ACA-compliant, cost-effective, and easy for your team to use.
👉 Ready to talk about building a benefits plan that actually works for your business? Let’s connect. Book a meeting link