Gusto Health Insurance Review: Comprehensive Coverage Options for Small Businesses

As a small business owner, you know the importance of building a team that feels valued and supported in sickness and in health. And if you live in the US, you also know how F*&*#$ing expensive health coverage is. Annnnnnd you’d probably also agree what a major pain-in-the-ass it is dealing with all the paperwork, deadlines, and tough choices associated with offering health coverage and benefits.

And before you get too excited, I’m not about to suggest that Gusto fixes any of the stuff I just mentioned. It doesn’t. But it makes it a little bit easier, and that’s more than anybody else can say.

I like Gusto because it empowers my team to make decisions about their coverage and allows them to do it without needing my help. This is hands-down the best part of Gusto. It will empower your employees and reduce your HR workload at the same time.

Why Gusto Caught My Attention

Gusto is known for its payroll services, and many small businesses—including creative agencies like ours—already use it to manage payroll seamlessly. But what I didn’t realize at first was that Gusto also offers a range of health insurance options that integrate directly with their payroll platform. This caught my attention because it seemed like a natural extension of a service we were already using, and it promised to simplify what can often be a complicated and time-consuming process.

The Health Insurance Options: No Pressure, Just Possibilities

Gusto offers a variety of health insurance plans, from traditional PPOs and HMOs to more flexible options like EPOs and POS plans. What I appreciated most was the lack of hard sell. Gusto provides the options, but they don’t push you toward any particular plan. Instead, they give you the tools to explore what’s available and make an informed decision. The process is transparent—there are no hidden fees or surprises—and you can see exactly what each plan offers in terms of coverage and costs.

For me, the ability to offer my team a choice was key. We’re a small, close-knit group, and I wanted them to feel empowered to pick the plan that best suited their needs without feeling pressured into one option.

Integration That Just Makes Sense

One of the biggest selling points (if I can use that term lightly) for me was the integration between Gusto’s payroll services and their health insurance offerings. We’re already using Gusto for payroll, so the fact that the health insurance deductions are automatically calculated and processed through the same system was a huge plus. It reduces the administrative burden and minimizes the risk of errors—something I’m sure every small business owner can appreciate.

Nationwide Coverage and Competitive Pricing

Another aspect that resonated with me was the nationwide coverage. Gusto partners with major insurance carriers across the country, which means that no matter where your team is located, there’s likely a plan that works for them. And let’s face it—pricing matters. Gusto offers competitive rates, and the platform allows you to compare different plans side by side. This made it easier for me to find a balance between offering quality coverage and managing our budget.

Supporting Employee Choice and Well-being

I didn’t want to make this decision for my team—I wanted them to have a say in their health benefits. Gusto’s employee self-service portal was a big win in this regard. Each team member can log in, explore the options, and enroll in the plan that feels right for them. They can also manage their benefits, view coverage details, and access their insurance cards all in one place. It’s about giving them control over their own health care decisions, which aligns with how I believe a workplace should function.

Compliance and Peace of Mind

Keeping up with health insurance regulations is not what any of us want to be doing. And one of the things that Gusto handles well is compliance. The platform automatically generates and files the necessary forms, like 1095-Cs, so I don’t have to worry about missing a deadline or making a mistake that could cost us later. It’s a small thing, but it makes a big difference in my peace of mind.

Anyway, I’m not here to convince you that Gusto is the only option or even the best option for your business. What I am saying is that it worked for us. The integration with payroll, the variety of plan options, the focus on employee choice, and the support with compliance all made it a good fit for our agency. But at the end of the day, you know your business and your team better than anyone else.

If you’re already using Gusto for payroll, it might be worth exploring their health insurance options. If not, it’s still a good idea to look around, compare, and see what feels right for your team. What’s important is that you make a choice that aligns with your values and meets the needs of the people who help make your business what it is.

In the end, offering health insurance is more than just a business decision—it’s about taking care of the people who help your creative agency thrive. If Gusto can help with that, great. If you find something else that works better, that’s great too. The point is to make a thoughtful, informed choice that benefits everyone involved.