Technology companies lean in on health care innovation to deliver rich benefit.
Tech companies are used to finding newer, better, faster ways to get things done. One key strategy to fueling this agile industry is retaining and recruiting top talent. Beyond competitive compensation, companies are also looking to offer rich benefits that appeal to a younger generation of workers, particularly Gen Z and millennials, who prioritize health and well-being.
Rich benefit, simplified.
According to Alliant’s 2024 Technology Perks and Benefits Survey1, technology companies continue to shift their focus from growth to profitability, leading to scrutiny of expenses, including benefits. Although benefits are the second largest expense following compensation, the survey notes companies are focusing
on driving savings and value in ways that don’t negatively impact employees.1
The Surest health plan offers a rich benefit that provides comprehensive medical coverage but with deliberate differences in how it works, primarily around member experience and price.
Through a digital user experience, employees can shop for care like they do everything else—comparing care options and costs before scheduling an appointment. The Surest plan eliminates deductibles and coinsurance so members simply pay a copay for care, which can help eliminate confusion and cost. When they choose high-value care options, they can save money—for their employer too.
In fact, Surest is performing well in the high-tech industry:
- Allowed medical PMPM: 3% below benchmark2
- Members’ OOP savings: 45% below benchmark2
High-tech employers view Surest as an appealing way to offer a rich benefit that aligns with other plan options yet allows them to manage, not shift, costs.
Strong employee engagement can lead to savings
The Marsh McLennan Agency’s 2025 Employee Health & Benefits Trends report noted that more than 79% of millennial and Gen Z employees highlighted the need for personalized coverage. To meet this demand, employers are turning to solutions that offer greater customization and insights into health care costs.3
The Surest health plan is designed with the premise that clinical excellence is the best path forward and uses this methodology to assign prices to providers and facilities. Surest makes a cost–quality connection based on historical performance data, including effectiveness and cost-efficiency criteria to set actual copays. Those that performed better are deemed high value and have a lower copay. When employees shop and compare care options, they may save money.
Highlights of the Surest health plan:
No deductible or coinsurance
so members know the price for care on day one, no calculations required
Upfront copays (not estimates)
for care, which may help reduce financial barriers to seeking care
Value-based copays
where lower prices are often assigned to providers evaluated as high value
Broad network
one of the largest in the country—to provide options for physical, emotional, and mental health
Alternative treatment options
presented alongside a member’s original search to help them decide how to get care, which may include low- or no-cost virtual care options
Surest also bundles health services that often occur together into a single copay, making it easier for members to understand and plan their health care costs. Bundling simplifies expenses by combining the cost of related services, like labs or imaging, into a single copay, rather than individual bills for each.
Results show that when members in the high-tech industry have more information and the ability to compare options, they’re more engaged in their health care and better equipped to make choices that are right for them.
The power of data science and analytics comes together in the Surest member experience. Innovative features like Surest Care Ratings are designed to help explain to members, in the Surest experience, the link between copays and historical provider value. Surest assigns higher Care Ratings—and lower copays—for higher provider performance to help members navigate care options, and possibly save money based on their choice.
Through the Surest app, members can easily find these high-value care options. For the high-tech industry, this led to use of lower-cost procedures and care settings compared to traditional plans.
- ER utilization: 37% below benchmark2
- Urgent care utilization: 28% below benchmark2
- MRI: 31% lower cost for shoppers2
- Physical Therapy: 12% lower cost for shoppers2
- Utilization of virtual providers: 39% higher than benchmark—35% higher for mental health and 43% for acute care2
- Utilization of all service shopping was the highest among every industry (100th percentile) 2
Benefits matter
A key finding in Marsh McLennan Agency’s 2025 Employee Health & Benefits Trends report is the growing burden of chronic conditions—most notably mental health issues among millennials and Gen Z employees.3
The complexity of understanding how chronic care is covered with traditional health insurance can be challenging and expensive, such as getting referrals and reaching deductibles. In contrast, Surest uses a large national network of doctors, hospitals, and clinics, so members can access providers and care options across the U.S.—no referral needed—and copays are clearly listed prior to a visit. Surest also offers a host of virtual care options to support chronic health needs when and where members need it.
While Surest offers the convenience of an intuitive design so members can self-serve to find care, it also offers a human touch point when members need assistance managing their health. The Surest Clinical Advocacy team can connect members with providers, programs, and resources available through their plan for additional support.
In an industry that thrives on innovation and efficiency, the Surest health plan’s digital-first, data-driven approach is helping high-tech employers manage costs and well-being efforts to attract and retain employees in a competitive marketplace.
See more Surest health plan performance studies.
- https://alliant.com/media/gwdbimii/2024-alliant-tech-survey-executive-summary.pdf
- Analysis comparing 2023 medical allowed costs for Surest members employed by high-tech companies to a matched control group of non-Surest members within the same sectors. The control group was matched based on age, gender, geographic location, and chronic condition profiles to ensure alignment with the Surest members.
- https://www.marshmma.com/us/insights/details/how-to-reduce-employer-healthcare-costs.html
- https://www.uhc.com/agents-brokers/employer-sponsored-plans/news-strategies/surest-study