Small Business Health Options Program

The Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) is designed to help small businesses with 1 to 50 employees purchase health insurance for their employees. Each state will have a Health Insurance Marketplace where individuals and small businesses can shop for and purchase health insurance. Tribal governments and tribal entities may be eligible to participate in the Marketplace in their state.

The SHOP will allow an employer to compare health insurance plans based on price, coverage and quality. Click here to connect with the SHOP in your state.

Generally, an employer is eligible to participate in SHOP if it meets all three of the following requirements:

1. Employs 50 or less full-time equivalent employees (average of 30 hours of service per week) during the prior calendar year;
2. Has at least one common law employee on payroll; and
3. Has its principal place of business address in the Marketplace and offers coverage to all full-time employees through that SHOP; OR offers coverage to each eligible employee through the SHOP serving that employee’s primary worksite (in this case, the employer participates in multiple SHOPs).

Self-employed individuals and owner-only companies must use the individual Marketplace.

Click here [insert link to employer survey] to fill out an easy employer survey to determine your responsibility and find out if you are a large or small employer.