Most small business owners assume offering health benefits means dealing with minimum enrollment requirements, expensive group plans, and complicated paperwork. The reality is simpler than you think.
Benefit Airship is a zero-launch employer health benefits platform that lets small employers offer real health coverage with zero risk. Here is what that actually means for your business.
What the Zero Risk Business Plan Actually Is
The Zero Risk Business Plan is exactly what it sounds like:
- Zero cost to register. There is no upfront fee to get started. You register your business, choose your plans, and only pay when you actually enroll employees.
- No minimum enrollees. Whether you have one employee or fifty, there is no threshold you need to hit. Even a group of one qualifies.
- No census required. You do not need to provide detailed health information about your workforce before enrollment.
- ACA Applicable Large Employer (A&B) qualified. If your business falls under the ACA employer mandate, this platform meets those requirements.
- Pre-existing conditions accepted. No one is turned away based on health history.
Setup takes 15 to 30 minutes. Enroll by the 15th of a month and coverage is effective the 1st of the following month.
Two Plan Families: Copay vs. HSA
Benefit Airship offers two distinct plan families. Understanding the difference helps you choose the right fit for your team.
The Copay Family (Silver, Gold, Platinum)
These plans feel like traditional insurance. You pay a fixed copay when you visit the doctor, and the plan handles the rest up to your out-of-pocket maximum.
- Silver: $3,000 single deductible, $35 PCP copay, $659/month per employee
- Gold: $1,000 single deductible, $15 PCP copay, $729/month per employee
- Platinum: $0 deductible, $25 PCP copay, $799/month per employee
Platinum is the flagship plan. Zero deductible means your employees walk into a doctor’s office knowing exactly what they will pay. For business owners currently spending $1,500 to $2,500 per month on group coverage, Platinum at $799 per employee is a different conversation entirely.
The HSA Family (MVP, Bronze, HSA Silver)
These are high-deductible, HSA-qualified plans. The tradeoff is lower monthly premiums and the ability to shelter pre-tax income in a Health Savings Account.
- MVP: $5,000 single deductible, $269/month per employee. This is the play for younger, healthy teams who want the lowest cost of entry and the tax advantages of an HSA.
- Bronze: $6,000 single deductible, $559/month per employee
- HSA Silver: $3,200 single deductible, $659/month per employee
The HSA angle matters. Your employees contribute pre-tax dollars to their HSA, the account grows tax-free, and withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are tax-free. It is one of the few remaining legitimate tax shelters for working people.
How to Choose: Copay or HSA?
Choose Copay if:
- Your team visits the doctor regularly
- You want predictable, fixed costs at the point of care
- Employees value simplicity over tax optimization
Choose HSA if:
- Your team is generally healthy and rarely visits the doctor
- You want lower monthly premiums
- Employees want to build a tax-advantaged savings account
Many employers offer both families and let employees choose. That flexibility is part of what makes this platform work for businesses of all sizes.
What Every Plan Includes Free
Regardless of which plan your employees choose, every medical plan comes standard with:
- Unlimited 24/7 virtual telehealth visits
- $0 generic prescription medications (1,000+ drugs at major pharmacy chains)
- Free annual wellness visits
- Member concierge support for navigating doctors and claims
These are not upgrades. They are built into every plan, from MVP to Platinum.
Add-Ons: Dental, Vision, and More
- Dental and Vision: $79 per employee, $189 per family. Cigna EPO network.
- BASE: $59.95 per employee. BASE is not medical insurance. It is a supplemental benefits package that provides a starting point for businesses with zero benefits budget. It includes basic protections and has a clear upgrade path to full medical coverage.
- Accident Insurance: $49.95 per employee, $99.95 per family. Cash paid directly to the member with a $50,000 accidental death benefit.
What About Self-Employed Business Owners?
If you are self-employed or an independent contractor with no employees, you can register your own one-person business under the Zero Risk Business Plan. There is no employee minimum, so groups of one qualify. This is not individual health insurance. It is a business registering for group coverage, even when the business is one person.
For self-employed owners, the MVP plan at $269 per month with HSA eligibility is worth a serious look. The tax advantages alone can offset a meaningful portion of the premium.
Next Steps
Whether you are a solo operation or a growing team, the path to offering health benefits is shorter than you think. Zero cost to start. No minimums. Real coverage.
Ready to explore your options?
- Business owners with employees: Start your business onboarding
- Self-employed or independent contractors: Explore individual enrollment
For more information, visit us at trekis.net or call 888-960-0442.