8 ways to get ready to enroll

1. Learn about the SHOP Marketplace. See if your business qualifies 

for the SHOP Marketplace and how it can benefit you and your 

employees. Use the SHOP Full-time Equivalent Employee (FTE) Calculator 

at HealthCare.gov/shop-calculators-fte to see if you qualify. 

2. Talk to your employees. Find out your employees’ coverage needs. 

This will help you with your coverage decision, and you’ll get an idea 

of how many employees might participate. You may have to meet 

a minimum participation rate to buy coverage through the SHOP 

Marketplace. Use the SHOP Minimum Participation Rate Calculator at 

HealthCare.gov/small-businesses/shop-calculators-mpr to see how 

many of your employees must accept your coverage offer.

3. Preview health plans that may be available to you. To see health 

and dental plans and prices, visit HealthCare.gov/see-plans/#/

small-business. 

4. Set your budget. Think about how much money you’re able to 

spend for group coverage. You’ll also need to consider how much 

your employees can spend for their coverage. 

5. Think about when to start. Small businesses can start offering 

SHOP Marketplace coverage any time during the year. You’ll need to 

choose a month to start coverage. Consider what timing works best 

for you and your employees.

6. Find out if you qualify for a tax credit. The Small Business Health 

Care Tax Credit Estimator can help determine if your business may 

qualify for the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit, and how much it 

could be worth to you. Visit HealthCare.gov/shop-calculators-taxcredit.

7. Get organized. Gather basic information about your business, like a 

list of full-time and part-time employees you plan to cover, and your 

tax ID number. 

8. Get help. Licensed agents and brokers registered to work with the 

SHOP Marketplace can help you explore your coverage options and 

complete the application, typically at no additional cost to you or 

your employees.

CMS Product No. 11630

Revised September 2016

About the

You have the right to get the information in this product in an alternate format. You 

also have the right to file a complaint if you feel you’ve been discriminated against. 

Visit https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/Aboutwebsite/

CMSNondiscriminationNotice.html, or call the Marketplace Call Center at 

1-800-318-2596 for more information. TTY users should call 1-855-889-4325.
The SHOP Marketplace helps small employers with 1-50 employees 

offer health insurance, in most states. Through the SHOP Marketplace, 

you may find affordable, private health and dental coverage for you 

and your employees.

The SHOP Marketplace

Puts you in control

As an employer, you control the coverage you offer and how much 

you contribute to your employees’ premiums.

Gives you flexibility & coverage choices

•	 Visit HealthCare.gov/small-businesses to review your coverage 

options and decide what’s best for your business. 

•	 Offer your employees more than one plan from more than one 

insurance company, or select one plan you want to offer. 

•	 Offer coverage any time of the year.

May help you qualify for a tax credit

When you offer SHOP Marketplace coverage, you may qualify for the 

Small Business Health Care Tax Credit, which can be worth up to 50% 

(up to 35% for tax-exempt employers) of your contribution toward 

premium costs. To qualify, you must: 

•	 Have fewer than 25 full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) making 

an average of about $50,000 a year or less. 

•	 Pay at least 50% of your FTEs’ premium costs. The tax savings 

is worth up to 50% of your contribution toward employees’ 

premium costs (up to 35% for tax-exempt employers).

Makes it easy to compare coverage options

The SHOP Marketplace presents cost and coverage details in a 

standard format, using simple language that makes it easy to 

compare coverage options. You can compare plans based on price, 

benefits, and other features that are important to you and your 

employees.

Provides health plans run by private 

companies

Plans are run by private health insurance companies, the same way 

small group plans are run. All plans offer the same set of essential 

health benefits, like doctor visits, preventive care, hospitalization, and 

prescriptions. There are also limits on the differences in premiums 

that insurance companies can charge based on age, and restrictions 

on charging individuals more based on pre-existing conditions.

Getting Help

There are 3 ways to get answers to your questions.

1. HealthCare.gov: There are a variety of SHOP Marketplace 

resources and tools to help you find the coverage that works for 

your business.

2. Agents and Brokers: Licensed insurance experts registered with 

the SHOP Marketplace can help you with the decision making and 

enrollment process, typically at no cost to you. Visit 

LocalHelp.HealthCare.gov to search for an agent or broker in your 

area.

3. The SHOP Call Center: You can contact the SHOP Call Center at 

1-800-706-7893, Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. ET. TTY users 

should call 711 to reach a SHOP call center representative.