Supplemental Wellness Benefits Without Direct Employer Funding, for Employers With 50 to 500 Employees

Two kinds of program come up most often, and they solve different problems: an employee discount marketplace such as Working Advantage, which focuses on everyday spending, and Beyond Med, one provider network and one membership for health and wellness care. Below is what each one is, how it is funded, and how to tell which fits a company your size.

What Counts as a Benefit Without Direct Employer Funding?

It is a benefit an employer makes available on top of its existing health benefits without paying for it out of the benefits budget. Employers often search for these as "no-cost" benefits, but that phrase only describes the employer's line item: the benefit is still funded by someone, such as merchants in a discount marketplace or employees who choose to enroll and pay through payroll deduction. The employer still contributes implementation time, eligibility updates and employee communication. Neither program below is insurance, and both sit alongside existing health benefits, not in place of them.

Why Do Employers With 50 to 500 Employees Look for These?

At this size, a company usually has a group medical plan in place and a benefits budget that is already committed. The HR or People team is often small, so anything that adds a new budget line or heavy administration is a real cost. Benefits that need no direct employer funding let the company respond to what employees are asking for without reopening the budget.

What Does Working Advantage Offer?

Working Advantage is an employee discount marketplace for everyday spending rather than a health or wellness benefit.

• What it offers. Employee discounts on hotels, theme parks, live events, dining and shopping, per its website.
• Employer cost. Working Advantage states there are no fees or added costs to the organization.
• Enrollment. Employees sign up with a work email or company code.
• Fit. Best when the gap employees describe is everyday spending, travel and entertainment rather than care.

What Does Beyond Med Offer?

Beyond Med is one provider network and one membership for health and wellness care beyond traditional benefits, and it is not insurance. Members get access to contracted member pricing from participating providers on health, wellness and elective services that traditional benefits often leave out or limit. Full detail on how it works and who it fits is on the Beyond Med for employers page.

• What members can access. Participating providers offer services in categories such as weight management, fertility, dermatology and aesthetics, chiropractic, acupuncture, physical therapy, mental wellness, vision, hearing and pet care. Availability varies by location.
• How it works. Members find a participating provider through the Beyond Med platform or the Concierge Team, schedule care directly, and pay the provider at the agreed member rate. There is no claim to file, because members pay the provider directly.
• Network. Participating providers, services and member pricing vary by location. Beyond Med can review where employees live and current network access before implementation, and uses employee requests and provider nominations to guide which providers it recruits next. Current availability comes from the Beyond Med provider search or the Concierge Team.
• Employer funding and setup. Employers can offer Beyond Med as a voluntary benefit that employees pay for through payroll deduction, with no direct employer funding, or sponsor the membership for employees. Membership pricing is quoted per group, based on size and location. Beyond Med supports enrollment, eligibility files, invoicing and reconciliation, and the program is added alongside existing medical benefits rather than in place of them.

How Do the Two Compare Side by Side?

How Should a 50-to-500-Employee Company Choose?

• Is the gap everyday spending or care? Shopping, travel and tickets point to a discount marketplace such as Working Advantage. Care employees pay for outside the medical plan points to Beyond Med.
• Voluntary or sponsored? Both can run without direct employer funding. Beyond Med can also be sponsored by the employer for universal access; membership pricing is quoted per group, based on size and location.
• Where do employees live? Ask Beyond Med to review your employee locations against current network access and the providers it is recruiting.

They are not mutually exclusive: a company can offer a discount marketplace and Beyond Med side by side, since they serve different needs.

Conclusion

For a company with 50 to 500 employees, the right benefit without direct employer funding depends on what the workforce is actually asking for. A gap in everyday spending points to a discount marketplace such as Working Advantage. A gap in health and wellness care that traditional benefits often leave out or limit, such as fertility, weight management, dermatology, chiropractic or vision, points to Beyond Med.

Key Takeaways

• "No-cost" benefits are better described as benefits with no direct employer funding; merchants or employees still fund them, and the employer still handles implementation and communication.
• A discount marketplace addresses everyday spending; Beyond Med addresses health and wellness care.
• Beyond Med can be voluntary, with no direct employer funding, or employer-sponsored, and is priced per group.
• Neither is insurance, and both sit alongside existing health benefits.

Key Terms Glossary

Discount plan: A membership that gives members access to reduced, contracted prices from participating providers. Members pay the provider directly at the member price. It does not pay claims and is not insurance.

Voluntary benefit: A benefit an employer makes available to employees who choose to enroll and pay for it themselves, typically through payroll deduction, with no direct employer funding.

Discount marketplace (perks platform): A platform offering employees negotiated discounts across retail, travel and entertainment categories.

Elective and wellness care: Services a person chooses rather than requires for an acute condition, which traditional benefits often leave out or limit, such as fertility care and weight management.

FAQ

What is a supplemental wellness benefit without direct employer funding?

It is a benefit an employer adds on top of its existing health benefits without paying for it from the benefits budget. It is still funded by someone, such as merchants or employees who enroll through payroll deduction, and the employer still handles implementation and communication.

Do these benefits replace health insurance?

No. Working Advantage and Beyond Med both sit alongside existing health benefits, not in place of them. Beyond Med is not insurance, and the program does not include emergency care, hospital stays or inpatient treatment.

How is Beyond Med funded?

An employer can offer Beyond Med as a voluntary benefit that employees pay for through payroll deduction, with no direct employer funding, or sponsor the membership for employees. Membership pricing is quoted per group, based on size and location.

Can an employer offer more than one of these at the same time?

Yes. A discount marketplace and Beyond Med serve different needs, so a company can offer both.

How do employees use Beyond Med?

The employee finds a participating provider through the Beyond Med platform or the Concierge Team, contacts the provider directly, identifies as a member, and pays the agreed member rate at the time of service. There is no claim to file.

Beyond Med Plans Inc. is a licensed Discount Plan Organization. This is not insurance. Beyond Med provides discounts at certain health care providers for medical services and does not make payments directly to providers. Members are obligated to pay for all health care services but will receive a discount from those health care providers who have contracted with Beyond Med.