[Ace]

Be aware, from what I've examined, providing flex benefits (such as a health spending account), costs you dollar for dollar what the employee spends. I can't remember if it's even higher in that it costs you what the employee is entitled to spend. Either way it's basically just giving cash to the employee (tax free for them), there is no financial benefit to the company to pursue this option, other than the non-financial benefits of making employees happy. A more traditional plan generates some savings because the insurance companies evaluate the fact that many employees will not use their benefits. Basically a flex plan, I don't believe, will be cheaper by shopping around.