Group benefits that grow with your woman-owned business.
The moment you hire your first W-2 employee, your benefits options change. The right structure depends on your team size, where they live, and how predictable your monthly cost needs to be. She Builds Health helps women-owned businesses with 2–200 employees pick between SHOP, ICHRA, fully-insured group, and voluntary supplemental — and we run the small-business healthcare tax credit math while we're at it.
Group structures — and when each one fits
SHOP group health (2–25 employees)
The Small Business Health Options Program is a federally facilitated marketplace for groups under 25. Its biggest unlock: if your team is under 25 W-2s and average wages are below the threshold, your business may qualify for the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit — up to 50% of premiums paid. That's the credit most founders don't know they can claim.
ICHRA — the modern alternative
An Individual Coverage HRA lets you reimburse employees tax-free for the individual ACA plans they pick themselves. No group plan to administer, fixed predictable monthly cost per employee, different allowances allowed by employee class (full-time vs part-time, salaried vs hourly). For distributed or hybrid teams, ICHRA usually wins.
Fully-insured group health (10+ employees)
Once you're past ~10 W-2s, traditional group plans (PPO, HMO, level-funded) start to make sense again. You get one plan for everyone, predictable contribution math, and a single carrier relationship.
Voluntary benefits — easy first step
Voluntary dental, vision, life, accident, and hospital indemnity cost the business little or nothing — employees opt in and pay their own group-rate premium. For a 3–10 person women-owned team, voluntary benefits are how you start signaling 'we take care of people' without committing to a group medical plan.
Group life and disability
Group life at 1x–2x salary is a low-cost, high-signal benefit. Short-term and long-term disability protect employees' income — and demonstrably reduce absenteeism. Frequently overlooked by competitors, frequently noticed by the candidates you're trying to hire.
Section 125 cafeteria plan
Lets employees pay their share of premiums pre-tax — reducing their taxable income AND your payroll tax liability. We set this up at no charge as part of your benefits package. A 5-person team typically saves $2,000–$8,000/year in payroll taxes through this alone.
What group benefits actually cost (per employee per month)
Real benchmarks for women-owned businesses we serve. Your number lands inside these ranges based on team age mix, state, and contribution strategy.
The tax credits worth knowing about
- Small Business Health Care Tax Credit — up to 50% of premiums for SHOP enrollment with <25 W-2s
- Premium contributions deductible as an ordinary business expense
- Section 125 pre-tax premium contributions reduce payroll tax liability
- ICHRA reimbursements are tax-deductible to the business and tax-free to the employee
- WBE/WOSB certifications don't change premium pricing but can open contracting work that funds benefits
Why women founders offer benefits early
Retention math
Replacing an employee costs 50–200% of their salary. Health benefits are the #1 retention driver. Companies offering health insurance see 25–40% lower voluntary turnover.
Recruiting against larger companies
When you're competing for talent against well-funded competitors, benefits are often the deciding factor. A well-structured ICHRA or SHOP plan lets a 6-person team look as serious as a 60-person one.
Modeling the company you want to build
Women-owned businesses consistently over-index on caring about employee wellbeing — and consistently under-invest in the formal benefits that prove it. Benefits are how that value becomes legible to the people you're hiring.
How the setup works
- Discovery — your specialist gathers team size, state mix, budget, and whether you want a true group plan or ICHRA
- Proposal — we present 3–5 plan or ICHRA-allowance options with employer cost, employee cost, and tax credit math
- Employee enrollment — we handle communication, paperwork, and onboarding so you don't
- Year-round support — life events, new hires, terminations, renewals — your advisor stays your advisor
Ready to see your options?
Answer a few quick questions and a licensed advisor will email your personalized plan options within one business hour. 100% free, no obligation.