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Employer & Group Coverage
Small business and group plans
Group health coverage for small businesses, plus guidance on coordinating employer benefits with Medicare.
How Employer & Group Coverage works
Group coverage is health insurance offered through an employer or association. For small business owners, offering a group plan is a meaningful recruiting and retention advantage, and employer contributions are generally tax-deductible; businesses with fewer than 25 full-time-equivalent employees may also qualify for the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit. For employees approaching 65, group coverage raises a coordination question that is easy to get expensive: whether to enroll in Medicare Part B now or delay it. If your employer has 20 or more employees, the group plan is usually primary and you can often delay Part B without penalty. If the employer is smaller, Medicare typically becomes primary and delaying Part B can leave you with gaps and a permanent late-enrollment penalty. Getting this sequencing right before your 65th birthday is far easier than fixing it afterwards.
Questions
Employer & Group Coverage: common questions
Should I delay Medicare Part B if I have employer coverage?
It depends on the employer's size. With 20 or more employees the group plan is generally primary and you can usually delay Part B without a penalty. With fewer than 20 employees, Medicare is typically primary and delaying can leave you underinsured plus create a lifelong penalty. Confirm your specific situation before your 65th birthday.
Is COBRA creditable coverage for Medicare purposes?
COBRA is generally not treated the same as active employer coverage for delaying Part B. Relying on COBRA instead of enrolling in Medicare when first eligible is a common and costly mistake, so get it checked before you decide.
Not sure which plan is right for you?
That’s the normal starting point. Tell a licensed agent what matters to you (your doctors, your prescriptions, your budget) and they’ll narrow it down. No cost, no obligation.
When we’re available
- Monday – Friday
- 07:00 – 20:00
- Saturday
- 08:00 – 18:00
- Sunday
- 09:00 – 17:00
Outside these hours, submit a quote request and an agent will call you back on the next business day. TTY users dial 711.
Other options
Related coverage you may also need
Most people combine a primary plan with one or two add-ons.
Important information
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or consult your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
InsuranceQuoteBase LLC is a private entity and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the U.S. government, the federal Medicare program, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), or the Health Insurance Marketplace.