As a small business owner, do I have to use Covered California?

No. Covered California is just another option for small businesses, who have been left with little to no options when it comes to health insurance for decades. Under the Affordable Care Act, small business owners with 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees are not required to offer their employees insurance. However, small business owners with 50 or fewer employees are eligible to participate in Covered California if they want to offer their employees insurance.