The hidden cost of disconnected tools
Disjointed systems do more than frustrate employees. They create inefficiencies that ripple across the entire benefits journey.
When transparency tools do not connect to provider directories or claim workflows, employees are left guessing. Confusion drives low engagement, and HR teams often are not equipped to bridge the gaps.
It adds up to wasted time, frustrated employees and lost trust. Employers want connected experiences that eliminate friction and deliver clarity.
Transparency is not helpful if it lives in a silo. Employers want answers that show up in the same place employees make decisions.
Why employers are ready for all-in-one healthcare platforms
Rising premiums. Higher deductibles. Increased pressure to prove ROI. Employers are navigating a complex benefits experience and many realize point solutions cannot deliver the clarity or insight employees need.
Instead of managing an assortment of disconnected tools, employers want platforms that simplify, connect and deliver. They are looking for end-to-end technology that helps employees make smarter care decisions, reduces administrative friction and improves satisfaction.
What the data tells us: Employers are moving fast
Employers are not just talking about change. They are making moves, reworking strategies and evaluating partners based on performance.
This momentum signals a shift toward holistic, data-driven benefits strategies. Employers want partners who can bridge silos to help optimize spend, improve employee experience and deliver outcomes they can actually see.
What seamless benefits technology looks like
From an employer’s perspective, seamless technology is not about flash. It is about results: clear answers, fewer workarounds and an experience employees will actually use.
Unified platforms that bring transparency, analytics and engagement into one ecosystem are no longer a nice-to-have. They are essential.
How TPAs can close the performance gap
Employees keep asking for the same thing: I want to know what I will pay and where to go. Employers agree. They rate transparency tools as critical, but they are underwhelmed by what is available.
That gap is a clear signal that first-generation solutions are not meeting the moment. The TPAs that deliver a connected benefits experience, not just features, will stand out.
That can mean integrated solutions tailored to employee needs, such as mobile-first interfaces for younger employees, simplified views for older populations and real-time cost estimates that reflect what employees will actually pay.
Why this matters now: The stakes for TPAs and carriers
The market is shifting fast. More than a third of employers say they are likely to switch their primary insurance carrier in the next year, and performance-based decision-making is replacing legacy relationships.
Carriers and TPAs that deliver connected, high-performance transparency tools are earning trust. The ones that make healthcare simpler and outcomes measurable are defining the new standard.
Employers are not asking for more fragmentation. They are asking for simple, connected tools that reshape how employees engage with care and that begins with transparency.
See the data and actionable insights shaping transparency-driven benefits strategies
Source: Proprietary research commissioned by Zelis and led by Datos Insights.
