How do we know if our health plan is competitive?

Benchmarking gives us an objective view of where your health plan stands within the market. We compare your benefits to employers of similar size, industry, and geography, looking at plan design, employer contributions, deductibles, out-of-pocket costs, and other key features.

But benchmarking is only the starting point.

A competitive benefits program isn’t simply one that looks like everyone else’s. It’s one that helps you achieve your business goals while meeting the needs of your workforce.

For some employers, that means offering richer benefits to attract hard-to-find talent. For others, it means maintaining a sustainable program that balances affordability with long-term financial responsibility. Both can be competitive—they’re just solving different business challenges.

We also look beyond the plan itself. Are employees enrolling? Are they choosing the plans you intended? Are payroll contributions creating barriers to participation? Are there opportunities to improve value without simply spending more?

The goal isn’t to copy what everyone else is doing. It’s to understand where you stand, why it matters, and whether your benefits strategy is helping your organization compete for the people you want to attract and retain.

Because the most competitive benefits program isn’t necessarily the most expensive one—it’s the one that’s intentionally designed for your workforce.