Health coverage you can actually use
Individual and family plans on and off the Covered California marketplace, supplemental coverage for the bills a deductible leaves behind, and an employer benefit program that costs the business nothing to add.
Who does Cheri help with health coverage?
Three groups: people buying their own plan, people who have a plan but keep paying big bills anyway, and business owners who want to offer a benefit without adding a cost.
- Self-employed and early retirees. Anyone without employer coverage who needs a marketplace or off-exchange plan and wants help reading the fine print.
- Families with a high deductible. Supplemental accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity policies that pay cash when the major medical plan does not.
- Employers with W-2 payroll. A program through EHP that adds health benefits for employees using existing tax provisions, with no new line on the budget.
- People in a life change. A move, a marriage, a new baby, or a lost job opens a special enrollment window outside the fall open enrollment period.
Three kinds of coverage, three different gaps
Major medical covers the big things. Supplemental covers the bills major medical leaves you. The employer program is for business owners who want to give their team something without cutting into payroll.
Individual and family plans
Covered California marketplace plans, where income-based subsidies can lower the premium, and off-exchange plans bought directly from a carrier. Cheri is licensed for health insurance in California and compares both.
Supplemental coverage
Accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity policies pay a cash benefit directly to you after a covered event. The money can go toward the deductible, lost wages, or the mortgage that month.
Employer health benefits through EHP
An employer-sponsored program that uses existing tax provisions so a business can add benefits for employees at no net cost. It works alongside a group plan or as a first benefit for a company that has none.
The zero-cost employer program, explained honestly
EHP, The Employer's Choice, structures a health benefit so that existing tax provisions offset the cost to the employer. Cheri partners with EHP to bring the program to California businesses.
Here is what it is not. It is not a replacement for major medical insurance, and it does not turn a company without a group plan into one with full coverage. It is a benefit layer employees can use, funded in a way that does not add a new expense to the business.
Eligibility depends on how the payroll is structured, so the first step is a short review of headcount, pay frequency, and current benefits. If the numbers do not work for your company, Cheri will say so.
- Works alongside an existing group plan or as a first benefit
- Reviewed against your actual payroll before anything is proposed
- Explained in writing, including what it does not cover
When can you enroll?
Marketplace and off-exchange plans follow a calendar. Supplemental and employer programs mostly do not.
The main window for individual and family plans runs each fall, with coverage starting in the new year. Most people enroll here.
A move, marriage, birth, adoption, or loss of other coverage opens a window of roughly 60 days the rest of the year.
Accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity plans can generally be applied for any time of year, subject to the carrier's health questions.
The EHP review can start whenever the business is ready. Setup follows the company's payroll cycle rather than a public enrollment period.
Enrollment windows are general marketplace rules and can change. Cheri confirms the current dates on the call.
Is this the right place to start?
A good fit if you
- Buy your own coverage and want the marketplace and off-exchange options compared side by side
- Have a high deductible and want cash coverage for accidents or a serious diagnosis
- Own a business with W-2 employees and want to add a benefit without a new expense
- Want life and health coverage reviewed together by one licensed agent
Probably not the right time if you
- Already have strong employer coverage and no gap in the deductible or out-of-pocket costs
- Are on Medicare or Medi-Cal and need a specialist in those programs
- Expect the employer program to replace a full group medical plan
Cheri will say so on the call and point you to the right resource rather than sell a plan that does not fit.
From first call to ID card
Coverage review
Household size, income, doctors you want to keep, and prescriptions. For employers, headcount and payroll. About 20 minutes.
Options side by side
Marketplace and off-exchange plans compared on premium, deductible, and network, plus any supplemental policy that closes a gap.
Enrollment and follow-up
Cheri submits the application, confirms the effective date, and stays the point of contact when a claim or renewal question comes up.
Health coverage questions
It is an employer-sponsored health benefit program offered through EHP (The Employer's Choice) that uses existing tax provisions so a business can add benefits for employees without a new line item on the budget.
It is not a replacement for major medical insurance. It works alongside a group plan or as a first benefit for employers who have none. Eligibility depends on payroll structure, so a short review is the first step.
Yes. Cheri is licensed for health insurance in California and can walk you through Covered California marketplace plans, off-exchange plans, and supplemental coverage such as accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity.
Open enrollment runs in the fall, and qualifying life events like a move, marriage, or job loss open a special enrollment window the rest of the year.
Find out which plan fits your household or team
A free review with Cheri. Bring your current plan or your payroll summary, leave knowing your options and what each one costs.