As employees and prospective employees continue to search beyond salary to determine which organizations they want to work for, a strong benefits package is crucial for attracting the best people and recruiting more top talent to join your team. 

According to the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), healthcare plans top the list of benefits employees consider most important, with 95 percent of those surveyed listing it as their top priority. It comes as no surprise that the number one most valued benefit by employees is health, dental, and vision insurance. The SHRM study also found that health insurance is also the most expensive benefit to offer, averaging around $6,435 per employee with individual coverage, and $18,142 for family coverage.

Association Health Plans (AHPs) are one way small tech employers strategically leverage employee benefits as a recruitment and retention tool. WTIA OptiFlex, a level-funded health plan option, is an excellent option for tech and professional service employers, featuring the characteristics (protection and flexibility) of a self-funded healthcare plan minus the expense or complications.

OptiFlex is a modified self-funded health insurance program for tech and professional service companies with 51 to 500 employees. In addition to the 18 WTIA medical plans and five dental plans through Premera Blue Cross, WTIA OptiFlex has two vision plans to choose from: Preferred and Enhanced through Premera. Unlike traditional self-funded plans, the OptiFlex option does not require accessibility to the credit and financial information of your company or risk questionnaires.

As with all WTIA programs, the OptiFlex program offers many administrative features, including access to detailed claims data in an easy-to-review format through our online tool, Insight Reporter; consolidated billing; and a rolling 12-month contract; COBRA administration at no charge; HSA/FSA banking offered with no setup or monthly admin fees. Other features are Specific Stop-Loss insurance, which provides financial protection from large medical and prescription claims for an individual for self-insured employers and Terminal Liability protection that extends the paid claims period by a set number of months in the year of termination only, covering claims paid after the policy termination date.

WTIA uses group-buying power to offer a portfolio of benefits and programming designed to help tech companies grow and prosper. In addition to its high-value employee health plans, membership also ensures access to networking and educational events; discounts to products and services; marketing opportunities; the chance to become a hiring partner for the WTIA Workforce Institute; and our administrated 401(k) plan.