Marshland at the Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve in Palo Alto, California

Palo Alto · Santa Clara County, California

Palo Alto health insurance broker. For founders, freelancers, and anyone between jobs.

Free help for people in Palo Alto who buy their own coverage. Leaving a big company for a startup, consulting on your own, or waiting on a new job? We help you compare Covered California plans, COBRA, and doctor lists. California runs its own exchange, Covered California. We can help with plans on it only if we are certified with it.

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Photo: "Palo Alto Baylands February 2013 007" by King of Hearts, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped, resized, and converted to WebP. Modified from the original. This edited version is also licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Common questions

Your own company.
Your own health plan.

About 1 in 10 working-age adults in Palo Alto had only a plan they bought on their own. Here is what they ask us.

“My startup can't offer a plan yet. What now?”

You can buy a plan on your own through Covered California or from an insurance company. A small company may also be able to pay back workers for their own plans later. We explain the choices.

“My pay will drop this year. Does that help?”

It may. The federal tax credit is based on your household's income for the year you are covered. A lower year can mean more help, but you must update the estimate if your income goes up.

“Can I keep seeing doctors at Stanford?”

It depends on the plan. Some plans include Stanford Health Care doctors and some do not. We look up each doctor in each plan's list before you enroll.

Palo Alto by the numbers

A city of people
who work on their own.

Palo Alto is a city in northern Santa Clara County, home to Stanford Research Park. The Census Bureau is the source for these numbers.

About 67,200

people live in Palo Alto, based on Census estimates for 2020 to 2024.

$231,101

was the middle household income in the city.

About 35 in 100

workers in Palo Alto worked from home.

About 10 in 100

adults age 19 to 64 had only a plan they bought on their own.

About 2 in 100

Palo Alto residents under 65 lacked coverage.

43.6

years is the city's median age.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (tables B01003, B19013, B25003, B01002, B08301, B27010). Your own options and prices turn on ZIP code, household size, and income.

Paul DanielsLicensed health advisor · NPN 20986580

How we help

Independent help
for Palo Alto.

We are not tied to one insurer. We compare plans side by side, check your doctors, and add up what each plan may cost for the year, including the deductible.

Founders and contractors around University Avenue tend to have lumpy years: a seed round, a few months of no salary, then a paycheck again. That pattern matters, because help is based on the full year. We sketch out the months with you, note when pay is likely to start, and flag the point where you should update your application.

Help comparing COBRA and your own plan
Licensed in 30+ U.S. states · Paul Daniels, NPN 20986580 · CA License 4526037
You do not pay us for our help. We are paid by the insurance companies when you enroll. Your price for a plan is the same whether you use us or sign up on your own. Commissions can differ by company.

How it works

Three steps,
one short call.

Tell us who's covered

Ages for everyone on the plan and your Palo Alto ZIP code.

Map out your income

Salary, contract pay, and founder pay for 2027, as well as you can estimate.

Check your doctors

We search each plan for your doctors. Then you choose.

Book a 15-minute call

Free · No obligation · About a 15-minute call

Recommended on Facebook

What people say
about working with us.

“I’ve know Paul for years and definitely trust him in the health advisor dept! Working with small business owners he has been a great partner with explain options and provide solutions!”

Sandra D.
Facebook recommendation

“Paul was very helpful in my search for business group insurance. He was able to explain my options and answer all the questions I had before signing up. Highly recommend working with him!”

Adil J.
Facebook recommendation

What you get

Coverage that fits
a changing year.

Choosing on monthly price alone can leave you with a deductible you didn't plan for. By the end, you'll walk away with:

COBRA and Covered California costs side by side, if you have both
A full-year price per plan: premiums and deductible in one figure
Stanford and other doctors you see, looked up plan by plan
A plan to sign up by December 31, 2026, for coverage that starts January 1, 2027

Hospitals in and near Palo Alto

Stanford Hospital is in Palo Alto, and El Camino Health – Mountain View is next door. Not every plan includes both, so look each one up by name.

Stanford HospitalPalo Alto
El Camino Health – Mountain ViewMountain View

Naming a hospital here doesn't mean a plan covers it. Networks are set by each insurer and can shift yearly.

Straight answers

Palo Alto health insurance questions.

When can I sign up for 2027 coverage in California?

As of October 19, 2026, under current law, open enrollment through Covered California runs from November 1, 2026, through January 31, 2027. A federal appeal about open enrollment dates is pending (City of Columbus v. Kennedy, 4th Cir. No. 26-1938), with oral argument set for October 30, 2026. Confirm the dates before you enroll. To start January 1, sign up by December 31, 2026. Losing job coverage usually lets you sign up within 60 days, any time of year.

I just left my job. How long do I have?

Losing job-based coverage usually gives you 60 days to pick a new plan. You can often apply before your coverage ends, so there's no gap. Our COBRA alternatives page explains the choices.

I'm a freelancer. What income do I use?

Give an honest estimate of your profit for the year, meaning what you earn after business costs. Add any other household income. If it changes, update your application.

Can my startup pay for my individual plan?

Some small employers set up an arrangement to pay workers back for plans they buy themselves. The rules depend on company size and how the arrangement is set up. A benefits or tax professional can confirm which type fits. We help you pick the individual plan itself.

Is there a California penalty if I skip coverage?

As of October 19, 2026, California has its own coverage rule. If you go without coverage, you may owe a state tax penalty. Some people qualify for an exemption. Check the Franchise Tax Board for details.

Open enrollment starts November 1

Comparing plans in Palo Alto?

Grab 15 free minutes with us, or get an online quote first. Nothing to sign.

Book a 15-minute call Get a quote online

By Paul Daniels, licensed health insurance agent (NPN 20986580). Local facts checked October 19, 2026.

Disclaimer

Daniels Health Advisors LLC is an independent insurance brokerage—not Covered California, HealthCare.gov, CMS, a state agency, a state insurance department, or an insurance company. Availability, premiums, networks, deductibles, and subsidies vary by zip, household, and plan year. Nothing here is medical, legal, or tax advice, or a guarantee of savings, approval, any-doctor access, or a “best” plan. Official: CoveredCA.com. To check an agent's license, contact your state's insurance department. Palo Alto / Santa Clara County, California.

Palo Alto health insurance broker. For founders, freelancers, and anyone between jobs.

Your own company.Your own health plan.

A city of peoplewho work on their own.

Independent helpfor Palo Alto.

Three steps,one short call.

What people sayabout working with us.

Coverage that fitsa changing year.