Two markets for the self-employed
Subsidy-eligible after business expenses → Covered California. Above the subsidy line and healthy → private PPO on Cigna, Aetna and PHCS PPO, priced on your health rather than your income. Serious condition → marketplace regardless.
The deduction
California has the highest top state income tax rate in the country, so the self-employed health premium deduction is worth real money here. Self-employed people deduct 100% of premiums above the line on either kind of plan, and can stack HSA contributions on an HSA-eligible plan.
Who we see most in California
Realtors, contractors, consultants, drivers, salon owners, and anyone running a business from Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and across the state. California regulates non-ACA coverage more tightly than most states, and the state mandate and Covered California's state subsidies change the math for many people, so private options here are narrower and the honest answer is often a careful comparison, not a promise of savings.