Document:

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                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.5

                                   EBENX, INC.
                            1999 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

     Section 1. Purpose. The purpose of the eBenX, Inc. 1999 Stock Incentive
Plan (the "Plan") is to aid in attracting and retaining employees, management
personnel and other personnel and members of the Board of Directors who are not
also employees ("Non-Employee Directors") of eBenX, Inc. (the "Company") capable
of assuring the future success of the Company, to offer such personnel and
Non-Employee Directors incentives to put forth maximum efforts for the success
of the Company's business and to afford such personnel and Non-Employee
Directors an opportunity to acquire a proprietary interest in the Company.

     Section 2. Definitions. As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have
the meanings set forth below:

     (a) "Affiliate" shall mean (i) any entity that, directly or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, is controlled by the Company and (ii) any
entity in which the Company has a significant equity interest, as determined by
the Committee.

     (b) "Award" shall mean any Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted
Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Award or other Stock-Based Award
granted under the Plan.

     (c) "Award Agreement" shall mean any written agreement, contract or other
instrument or document evidencing any Award granted under the Plan.

     (d) "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from
time to time, and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

     (e) "Committee" shall mean a committee of the Board of Directors of the
Company designated by such Board to administer the Plan and composed of not less
than two directors, each of whom is a "Non-Employee Director" within the meaning
of Rule 16b-3 (which term "Non-Employee Director" is defined in this paragraph
for purposes of the definition of "Committee" only and is not intended to define
such term as used elsewhere in the Plan). Each member of the Committee shall
also be an "outside director" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.

     (f) "Eligible Person" shall mean any employee, officer, director (including
any Non-Employee Director), consultant or independent contractor providing
services to the Company or any Affiliate who the Committee determines to be an
Eligible Person.

     (g) "Fair Market Value" shall mean, with respect to any property
(including, without limitation, any Shares or other securities), the fair market
value of such property determined by such methods or procedures as shall be
established from time to time by the Committee.

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     (h) "Incentive Stock Option" shall mean an option granted under Section
6(a) of the Plan that is intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the
Code or any successor provision.

     (i) "Non-Qualified Stock Option" shall mean an option granted under Section
6(a) of the Plan, that is not intended to be an Incentive Stock Option.

     (j) "Option" shall mean an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock
Option.

     (k) "Other Stock-Based Award" shall mean any right granted under Section
6(e) of the Plan.

     (l) "Participant" shall mean an Eligible Person designated to be granted an
Award under the Plan.

     (m) "Performance Award" shall mean any right granted under Section 6(d) of
the Plan.

     (n) "Person" shall mean any individual, corporation, partnership,
association or trust.

     (o) "Restricted Stock" shall mean any Share granted under Section 6(c) of
the Plan.

     (p) "Restricted Stock Unit" shall mean any unit granted under Section 6(c)
of the Plan evidencing the right to receive a Share (or a cash payment equal to
the Fair Market Value of a Share) at some future date.

     (q) "Rule 16b-3" shall mean Rule 16b-3 promulgated by the Securities and
Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

     (r) "Shares" shall mean shares of Common Stock, $.01 par value, of the
Company or such other securities or property as may become subject to Awards
pursuant to an adjustment made under Section 4(c) of the Plan.

     (s) "Stock Appreciation Right" shall mean any right granted under Section
6(b) of the Plan.

     Section 3. Administration. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee.
Subject to the terms of the Plan and applicable law, the Committee shall have
full power and authority to: (i) designate Participants; (ii) determine the type
or types of Awards to be granted to each Participant under the Plan; (iii)
determine the number of Shares to be covered by (or with respect to which
payments, rights or other matters are to be calculated in connection with) each
Award; (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award or Award Agreement;
(v) amend the terms and conditions of any Award or Award Agreement and
accelerate the exercisability of Options or the lapse of restrictions relating
to Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units; (vi) determine whether, to what
extent and under what circumstances Awards may be exercised

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in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property, or canceled,
forfeited or suspended; (vii) determine whether, to what extent and under what
circumstances cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards, other property and
other amounts payable with respect to an Award under the Plan shall be deferred
either automatically or at the election of the holder thereof or the Committee;
(viii) interpret and administer the Plan and any instrument or agreement
relating to, or Award made under, the Plan; (ix) establish, amend, suspend or
waive such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as it shall deem
appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; and (x) make any other
determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or
desirable for the administration of the Plan. Unless otherwise expressly
provided in the Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations and
other decisions under or with respect to the Plan or any Award shall be within
the sole discretion of the Committee, may be made at any time and shall be
final, conclusive and binding upon any Participant, any holder or beneficiary of
any Award and any employee of the Company or any Affiliate.

     Section 4. Shares Available for Awards.

     (a) Shares Available. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4(c),
the total number of Shares available for granting Awards under the Plan shall be
3,000,000. If any Shares covered by an Award or to which an Award relates are
not purchased or are forfeited, or if an Award otherwise terminates without
delivery of any Shares, then the number of Shares counted against the aggregate
number of Shares available under the Plan with respect to such Award, to the
extent of any such forfeiture or termination, shall again be available for
granting Awards under the Plan.

     (b) Accounting for Awards. For purposes of this Section 4, if an Award
entitles the holder thereof to receive or purchase Shares, the number of Shares
covered by such Award or to which such Award relates shall be counted on the
date of grant of such Award against the aggregate number of Shares available for
granting Awards under the Plan. Such Shares may again become available for
granting Awards under the Plan pursuant to the provisions of Section 4(a) of the
Plan, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 4(c) of the Plan.

     (c) Adjustments. In the event that the Committee shall determine that any
dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, other
securities or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock
split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination,
repurchase or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company, issuance of
warrants or other rights to purchase Shares or other securities of the Company
or other similar corporate transaction or event affects the Shares such that an
adjustment is determined by the Committee to be appropriate in order to prevent
dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be
made available under the Plan, then the Committee may, in such manner as it may
deem equitable, adjust any or all of (i) the number and type of Shares (or other
securities or other property) which thereafter may be made the subject of
Awards, (ii) the number and type of Shares (or other securities or other
property) subject to outstanding Awards and (iii) the purchase or exercise price
with respect to any Award; provided, however, that the number of Shares covered
by any Award or to which such Award relates shall always be a whole number.

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     (d) Award Limitations Under the Plan. No Eligible Person may be granted any
Award or Awards, the value of which Awards are based solely on an increase in
the value of the Shares after the date of grant of such Awards, for more than
1,500,000 Shares, subject to adjustment as provided in the Plan, in any calendar
year. The foregoing annual limitation specifically includes the grant of any
"performance-based" Awards within the meaning of ss.162(m) of the Code.

     Section 5. Eligibility. Any Eligible Person, including any Eligible Person
who is an officer or director of the Company or any Affiliate, shall be eligible
to be designated a Participant; provided, however, that an Incentive Stock
Option may only be granted to full or part-time employees (which term as used
herein includes, without limitation, officers and directors who are also
employees) and an Incentive Stock Option shall not be granted to an employee of
an Affiliate unless such Affiliate is also a "subsidiary corporation" of the
Company within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code or any successor
provision.

     Section 6. Awards.

     (a) Options. The Committee is hereby authorized to grant Options to
Participants with the following terms and conditions and with such additional
terms and conditions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as the
Committee shall determine:

          (i) Exercise Price. The purchase price per Share purchasable under an
     Option shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, that such
     purchase price for Shares granted as Incentive Stock Options shall not be
     less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of
     such Incentive Stock Option.

          (ii) Option Term. The term of each Option shall be fixed by the
     Committee.

          (iii) Time and Method of Exercise. The Committee shall determine the
     time or times at which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part and
     the method or methods by which, and the form or forms (including, without
     limitation, cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property,
     or any combination thereof, having a Fair Market Value on the exercise date
     equal to the relevant exercise price) in which, payment of the exercise
     price with respect thereto may be made or deemed to have been made.

          (iv) Reload Options. The Committee may grant "reload" options,
     separately or together with another Option, pursuant to which, subject to
     the terms and conditions established by the Committee and any applicable
     requirements of Rule 16b-3 or any other applicable law, the Participant
     would be granted a new Option when the payment of the exercise price of a
     previously granted option is made by the delivery of shares of the
     Company's Common Stock owned by the Participant pursuant to Section
     6(a)(iii) hereof or the relevant provisions of another plan of the Company,
     and/or when shares of the Company's Common Stock are tendered or forfeited
     as payment of the amount to be withheld under applicable tax laws in
     connection with the exercise of an option, which new Option would be an
     option to purchase the number of Shares not exceeding the sum of (A) the
     number of shares of the Company's Common Stock provided as consideration

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     upon the exercise of the previously granted option to which such "reload"
     option relates and (B) the number of shares of the Company's Common Stock
     tendered or forfeited as payment of the amount to be withheld under
     applicable tax laws in connection with the exercise of the option to which
     such "reload" option relates. "Reload" options may be granted with respect
     to options granted under this Plan or any other stock option plan of the
     Company or any of its affiliates (which shall explicitly include plans
     assumed by the Company in connection with mergers and the like). Such
     "reload" options shall have a per share exercise price equal to the Fair
     Market Value as of the date of grant of the new Option. Any such reload
     options shall be subject to availability of sufficient shares for grant
     under the Plan.

     (b) Stock Appreciation Rights. The Committee is hereby authorized to grant
Stock Appreciation Rights to Participants subject to the terms of the Plan and
any applicable Award Agreement. A Stock Appreciation Right granted under the
Plan shall confer on the holder thereof a right to receive upon exercise thereof
the excess of (i) the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of exercise
(or, if the Committee shall so determine, at any time during a specified period
before or after the date of exercise) over (ii) the grant price of the Stock
Appreciation Right as specified by the Committee, which price shall not be less
than 100% of the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of grant of the
Stock Appreciation Right. Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable
Award Agreement, the grant price, term, methods of exercise, dates of exercise,
methods of settlement and any other terms and conditions of any Stock
Appreciation Right shall be as determined by the Committee. The Committee may
impose such conditions or restrictions on the exercise of any Stock Appreciation
Right as it may deem appropriate.

     (c) Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units. The Committee is hereby
authorized to grant Awards of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units to
Participants with the following terms and conditions and with such additional
terms and conditions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as the
Committee shall determine:

          (i) Restrictions. Shares of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock
     Units shall be subject to such restrictions as the Committee may impose
     (including, without limitation, any limitation on the right to vote a Share
     of Restricted Stock or the right to receive any dividend or other right or
     property with respect thereto), which restrictions may lapse separately or
     in combination at such time or times, in such installments or otherwise as
     the Committee may deem appropriate.

          (ii) Stock Certificates. Any Restricted Stock granted under the Plan
     shall be evidenced by issuance of a stock certificate or certificates,
     which certificate or certificates shall be held by the Company. Such
     certificate or certificates shall be registered in the name of the
     Participant and shall bear an appropriate legend referring to the
     restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock. In the case of Restricted
     Stock Units, no Shares shall be issued at the time such Awards are granted.

          (iii) Forfeiture; Delivery of Shares. Except as otherwise determined
     by the Committee, upon termination of employment (as determined under
     criteria established by the Committee) during the applicable restriction
     period, all Shares of Restricted Stock

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     and all Restricted Stock Units at such time subject to restriction shall be
     forfeited and reacquired by the Company; provided, however, that the
     Committee may, when it finds that a waiver would be in the best interest of
     the Company, waive in whole or in part any or all remaining restrictions
     with respect to Shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units.
     Shares representing Restricted Stock that is no longer subject to
     restrictions shall be delivered to the holder thereof promptly after the
     applicable restrictions lapse or are waived. Upon the lapse or waiver of
     restrictions and the restricted period relating to Restricted Stock Units
     evidencing the right to receive Shares, such Shares shall be issued and
     delivered to the holders of the Restricted Stock Units.

     (d) Performance Awards. The Committee is hereby authorized to grant
Performance Awards to Participants subject to the terms of the Plan and any
applicable Award Agreement. A Performance Award granted under the Plan (i) may
be denominated or payable in cash, Shares (including, without limitation,
Restricted Stock), other securities, other Awards or other property and (ii)
shall confer on the holder thereof the right to receive payments, in whole or in
part, upon the achievement of such performance goals during such performance
periods as the Committee shall establish. Subject to the terms of the Plan and
any applicable Award Agreement, the performance goals to be achieved during any
performance period, the length of any performance period, the amount of any
Performance Award granted and the amount of any payment or transfer to be made
pursuant to any Performance Award shall be determined by the Committee.

     (e) Other Stock-Based Awards. The Committee is hereby authorized to grant
to Participants such other Awards that are denominated or payable in, valued in
whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to, Shares
(including, without limitation, securities convertible into Shares), as are
deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purpose of the Plan; provided,
however, that such grants must comply with applicable law. Subject to the terms
of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, the Committee shall determine
the terms and conditions of such Awards. Shares or other securities delivered
pursuant to a purchase right granted under this Section 6(e) shall be purchased
for such consideration, which may be paid by such method or methods and in such
form or forms (including without limitation, cash, Shares, other securities,
other Awards or other property or any combination thereof), as the Committee
shall determine, the value of which consideration, as established by the
Committee, shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such Shares
or other securities as of the date such purchase right is granted.

     (f) General.

          (i) No Cash Consideration for Awards. Awards shall be granted for no
     cash consideration or for such minimal cash consideration as may be
     required by applicable law.

          (ii) Awards May Be Granted Separately or Together. Awards may, in the
     discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in
     tandem with or in substitution for any other Award or any award granted
     under any plan of the Company or any Affiliate other than the Plan. Awards
     granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards or in addition to or
     in tandem with awards granted under any such other

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     plan of the Company or any Affiliate may be granted either at the same time
     as or at a different time from the grant of such other Awards or awards.

          (iii) Forms of Payment under Awards. Subject to the terms of the Plan
     and of any applicable Award Agreement, payments or transfers to be made by
     the Company or an Affiliate upon the grant, exercise or payment of an Award
     may be made in such form or forms as the Committee shall determine
     (including, without limitation, cash, Shares, other securities, other
     Awards or other property or any combination thereof), and may be made in a
     single payment or transfer, in installments or on a deferred basis, in each
     case in accordance with rules and procedures established by the Committee.
     Such rules and procedures may include, without limitation, provisions for
     the payment or crediting of reasonable interest on installment or deferred
     payments.

          (iv) Limits on Transfer of Awards. No Award and no right under any
     such Award shall be transferable by a Participant otherwise than by will or
     by the laws of descent and distribution; provided, however, that, if so
     determined by the Committee, a Participant may, in the manner established
     by the Committee, designate a beneficiary or beneficiaries to exercise the
     rights of the Participant and receive any property distributable with
     respect to any Award upon the death of the Participant; and provided,
     further, except in the case of an Incentive Stock Option, Awards may be
     transferable as specifically provided in any applicable Award Agreement or
     amendment thereto pursuant to terms determined by the Committee. Except as
     otherwise provided in any applicable Award Agreement or amendment thereto
     (other than an Award Agreement relating to an Incentive Stock Option),
     pursuant to terms determined by the Committee, each Award or right under
     any Award shall be exercisable during the Participant's lifetime only by
     the Participant or, if permissible under applicable law, by the
     Participant's guardian or legal representative. Except as otherwise
     provided in any applicable Award Agreement or amendment thereto (other than
     an Award Agreement or amendment thereto relating to an Incentive Stock
     Option), no Award or right under any such Award may be pledged, alienated,
     attached or otherwise encumbered, and any purported pledge, alienation,
     attachment or encumbrance thereof shall be void and unenforceable against
     the Company or any Affiliate.

          (v) Term of Awards. The term of each Award shall be for such period as
     may be determined by the Committee.

          (vi) Restrictions; Securities Exchange Listing. All certificates for
     Shares or other securities delivered under the Plan pursuant to any Award
     or the exercise thereof shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and
     other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan or
     the rules, regulations and other requirements of the Securities and
     Exchange Commission and any applicable federal or state securities laws,
     and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be placed on any such
     certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions. If the
     Shares or other securities are traded on a securities exchange, the Company
     shall not be required to deliver any Shares or other securities covered by
     an Award unless and until such Shares or other securities have been
     admitted for trading on such securities exchange.

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     Section 7. Amendment and Termination; Adjustments. Except to the extent
prohibited by applicable law and unless otherwise expressly provided in an Award
Agreement or in the Plan:

     (a) Amendments to the Plan. The Board of Directors of the Company may
amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate the Plan; provided, however,
that, notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any Award Agreement,
without the approval of the shareholders of the Company, no such amendment,
alteration, suspension, discontinuation or termination shall be made that,
absent such approval:

          (i) would cause Rule 16b-3 or Section 162(m) of the Code to become
     unavailable with respect to the Plan;

          (ii) would violate the rules or regulations of the NASDAQ National
     Market, any other securities exchange or the National Association of
     Securities Dealers, Inc. that are applicable to the Company; or

          (iii) would cause the Company to be unable, under the Code, to grant
     Incentive Stock Options under the Plan.

     (b) Amendments to Awards. The Committee may waive any conditions of or
rights of the Company under any outstanding Award, prospectively or
retroactively. The Committee may not amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or
terminate any outstanding Award, prospectively or retroactively, without the
consent of the Participant or holder or beneficiary thereof, except as otherwise
herein provided or in the Award Agreement.

     (c) Correction of Defects, Omissions and Inconsistencies. The Committee may
correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the
Plan or any Award in the manner and to the extent it shall deem desirable to
carry the Plan into effect.

     Section 8. Income Tax Withholding; Tax Bonuses.

     (a) Withholding. In order to comply with all applicable federal or state
income tax laws or regulations, the Company may take such action as it deems
appropriate to ensure that all applicable federal or state payroll, withholding,
income or other taxes, which are the sole and absolute responsibility of a
Participant are withheld or collected from such Participant. In order to assist
a Participant in paying all or a portion of the federal and state taxes to be
withheld or collected upon exercise or receipt of (or the lapse of restrictions
relating to) an Award, the Committee, in its discretion and subject to such
additional terms and conditions as it may adopt, may permit the Participant to
satisfy such tax obligation by (i) electing to have the Company withhold a
portion of the Shares otherwise to be delivered upon exercise or receipt of (or
the lapse of restrictions relating to) such Award with a Fair Market Value equal
to the amount of such taxes or (ii) delivering to the Company Shares other than
Shares issuable upon exercise or receipt of (or the lapse of restrictions
relating to) such Award with a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such
taxes. The election, if any, must be made on or before the date that the amount
of tax to be withheld is determined.

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     (b) Tax Bonuses. The Committee, in its discretion, shall have the
authority, at the time of grant of any Award under this Plan or at any time
thereafter, to approve cash bonuses to designated Participants to be paid upon
their exercise or receipt of (or the lapse of restrictions relating to) Awards
in order to provide funds to pay all or a portion of federal and state taxes due
as a result of such exercise or receipt (or the lapse of such restrictions). The
Committee shall have full authority in its discretion to determine the amount of
any such tax bonus.

     Section 9. General Provisions.

     (a) No Rights to Awards. No Eligible Person, Participant or other Person
shall have any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan, and there is no
obligation for uniformity of treatment of Eligible Persons, Participants or
holders or beneficiaries of Awards under the Plan. The terms and conditions of
Awards need not be the same with respect to different Participants.

     (b) Delegation. The Committee may delegate to one or more officers of the
Company or any Affiliate or a committee of such officers the authority, subject
to such terms and limitations as the Committee shall determine, to grant Awards
to Eligible Persons who are not officers or directors of the Company for
purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

     (c) Award Agreements. No Participant will have rights under an Award
granted to such Participant unless and until an Award Agreement shall have been
duly executed on behalf of the Company.

     (d) No Limit on Other Compensation Arrangements. Nothing contained in the
Plan shall prevent the Company or any Affiliate from adopting or continuing in
effect other or additional compensation arrangements, and such arrangements may
be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.

     (e) No Right to Employment, Etc. The grant of an Award shall not be
construed as giving a Participant the right to be retained in the employ, or as
giving a Non-Employee Director the right to continue as a Director, of the
Company or any Affiliate. In addition, the Company or an Affiliate may at any
time dismiss a Participant from employment, or terminate the term of a
Non-Employee Director, free from any liability or any claim under the Plan,
unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in any Award Agreement.

     (f) Governing Law. The validity, construction and effect of the Plan and
any rules and regulations relating to the Plan shall be determined in accordance
with the laws of the State of Minnesota.

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     (g) Severability. If any provision of the Plan or any Award is or becomes
or is deemed to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or
would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the
Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to
applicable laws, or if it cannot be so construed or deemed amended without, in
the determination of the Committee, materially altering the purpose or intent of
the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction
or Award, and the remainder of the Plan or any such Award shall remain in full
force and effect.

     (h) No Trust or Fund Created. Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create
or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary
relationship between the Company or any Affiliate and a Participant or any other
Person. To the extent that any Person acquires a right to receive payments from
the Company or any Affiliate pursuant to an Award, such right shall be no
greater than the right of any unsecured general creditor of the Company or any
Affiliate.

     (i) No Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered
pursuant to the Plan or any Award, and the Committee shall determine whether
cash shall be paid in lieu of any fractional Shares or whether such fractional
Shares or any rights thereto shall be canceled, terminated or otherwise
eliminated.

     (j) Headings. Headings are given to the Sections and subsections of the
Plan solely as a convenience to facilitate reference. Such headings shall not be
deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of
the Plan or any provision thereof.

     (k) Section 16 Compliance. The Plan is intended to comply in all respects
with Rule 16b-3 or any successor provision, as in effect from time to time and
in all events the Plan shall be construed in accordance with the requirements of
Rule 16b-3. If any Plan provision does not comply with Rule 16b-3 as hereafter
amended or interpreted, the provision shall be deemed inoperative. The Board of
Directors, in its absolute discretion, may bifurcate the Plan so as to restrict,
limit or condition the use of any provision of the Plan with respect to persons
who are officers or directors subject to Section 16 of the Securities and
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, without so restricting, limiting or
conditioning the Plan with respect to other Participants.

     Section 10. Effective Date of the Plan. The Plan shall be effective as of
September 16, 1999, subject to approval by the Company's shareholders in
accordance with applicable law.

     Section 11. Term of the Plan. New Awards shall only be granted under the
Plan during a 10-year period beginning on the effective date of the Plan.
However, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in an applicable
Award Agreement, any Award theretofore granted may extend beyond the end of such
10-year period, and the authority of the Committee provided for hereunder with
respect to the Plan and any Awards, and the authority of the Board of Directors
of the Company to amend the Plan, shall extend beyond the end of such period.

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                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.6

                                   EBENX, INC.
                        1999 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

                             ARTICLE I. INTRODUCTION

     Section 1.01 Purpose. The purpose of the eBenX, Inc. 1999 Employee Stock
Purchase Plan (the "Plan") is to provide employees of eBenX, Inc., a Minnesota
corporation (the "Company"), and certain related corporations with an
opportunity to share in the ownership of the Company by providing them with a
convenient means for regular and systematic purchases of the Company's Common
Stock, par value $.01 per share, and, thus, to develop a stronger incentive to
work for the continued success of the Company.

     Section 1.02 Rules of Interpretation. It is intended that the Plan be an
"employee stock purchase plan" as defined in Section 423(b) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and Treasury Regulations
promulgated thereunder. Accordingly, the Plan shall be interpreted and
administered in a manner consistent therewith if so approved. All Participants
in the Plan will have the same rights and privileges consistent with the
provisions of the Plan.

     Section 1.03 Definitions. For purposes of the Plan, the following terms
will have the meanings set forth below:

          (a) "Acceleration Date" means the earlier of the date of stockholder
     approval or approval by the Company's Board of Directors of (i) any
     consolidation or merger of the Company in which the Company is not the
     continuing or surviving corporation or pursuant to which shares of Company
     Common Stock would be converted into cash, securities or other property,
     other than a merger of the Company in which stockholders of the Company
     immediately prior to the merger have the same proportionate ownership of
     stock in the surviving corporation immediately after the merger; (ii) any
     sale, exchange or other transfer (in one transaction or a series of related
     transactions) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company; or
     (iii) any plan of liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

          (b) "Affiliate" means any subsidiary corporation of the Company, as
     defined in Section 424(f) of the Code, whether now or hereafter acquired or
     established.

          (c) "Committee" means the committee described in Section 10.01.

          (d) "Common Stock" means the Company's Common Stock, $.01 par value,
     as such stock may be adjusted for changes in the stock or the Company as
     contemplated by Article XI herein.

          (e) "Company" means eBenX, Inc., a Minnesota corporation, and its
     successors by merger or consolidation as contemplated by Article XI herein.

                                                                             -1-
<PAGE>

          (f) "Current Compensation" means all regular wage, salary and
     commission payments paid by the Company to a Participant in accordance with
     the terms of his or her employment, but excluding annual bonus payments and
     all other forms of special compensation.

          (g) "Effective Date" means the date immediately prior to the date on
     which the Company's registration statement relating to its initial public
     offering of Common Stock is declared effective by the Securities and
     Exchange Commission.

          (h) "Fair Market Value" as of a given date means such value of the
     Common Stock as reasonably determined by the Committee, but shall not be
     less than (i) the closing price of the Common Stock as reported for
     composite transactions if the Common Stock is then traded on a national
     securities exchange, (ii) the last sale price if the Common Stock is then
     quoted on the NASDAQ National Market System, or (iii) the average of the
     closing representative bid and asked prices of the Common Stock as reported
     on NASDAQ on the date as of which the fair market value is being
     determined; provided, however, that the Fair Market Value on the Effective
     Date shall be the initial public offering price set forth on the cover of
     the final prospectus used in connection with the Company's initial public
     offering of Common Stock. If on a given date the shares of Common Stock are
     not traded on an established securities market, the Committee shall make a
     good faith attempt to satisfy the requirements of this Section 1.03 and in
     connection therewith shall take such action as it deems necessary or
     advisable.

          (i) "Participant" means a Permanent Full-Time Employee who is eligible
     to participate in the Plan under Section 2.01 and who has elected to
     participate in the Plan.

          (j) "Participating Affiliate" means an Affiliate which has been
     designated by the Committee in advance of the Purchase Period in question
     as a corporation whose eligible Permanent Full-Time Employees may
     participate in the Plan.

          (k) "Permanent Full-Time Employee" means an employee of the Company or
     a Participating Affiliate as of the first day of a Purchase Period,
     including an officer or director who is also an employee, but excluding an
     employee (i) whose customary employment is less than 20 hours per week or
     (ii) who has not been an employee of the Company or a Participating
     Affiliate for at least 90 days as of the first day of the applicable
     Purchase Period.

          (l) "Plan" means the eBenX, Inc. 1999 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as
     amended, the provisions of which are set forth herein.

          (m) "Purchase Period" means any of the approximate six-month periods
     beginning on the first business day in January and July, as appropriate,
     and ending on the last business day in June and December, respectively;
     provided, however, that the initial Purchase Period will commence on the
     Effective Date and will terminate on June 30, 2000, and that the then
     current Purchase Period will end upon the occurrence of an Acceleration
     Date.

                                                                             -2-
<PAGE>

          (n) "Stock Purchase Account" means the account maintained on the books
     and records of the Company recording the amount received from each
     Participant through payroll deductions made under the Plan and from the
     Company through matching contributions.

                    ARTICLE II. ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION

     Section 2.01 Eligible Employees. All Permanent Full-Time Employees shall be
eligible to participate in the Plan beginning on the first day of the first
Purchase Period to commence after such person becomes a Permanent Full-Time
Employee. Subject to the provisions of Article VI, each such employee will
continue to be eligible to participate in the Plan so long as he or she remains
a Permanent Full-Time Employee.

     Section 2.02 Election to Participate. An eligible Permanent Full-Time
Employee may elect to participate in the Plan for a given Purchase Period by
filing with the Company, in advance of that Purchase Period and in accordance
with such terms and conditions as the Committee in its sole discretion may
impose, a form provided by the Company for such purpose (which authorizes
regular payroll deductions from Current Compensation beginning with the first
payday in that Purchase Period and continuing until the employee withdraws from
the Plan or ceases to be eligible to participate in the Plan).

     Section 2.03 Limits on Stock Purchase. No employee shall be granted any
right to purchase Common Stock hereunder if such employee, immediately after
such a right to purchase is granted, would own, directly or indirectly, within
the meaning of Section 423(b)(3) and Section 424(d) of the Code, Common Stock
possessing 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of all the
classes of the capital stock of the Company or of all Affiliates.

     Section 2.04 Voluntary Participation. Participation in the Plan on the part
of a Participant is voluntary and such participation is not a condition of
employment nor does participation in the Plan entitle a Participant to be
retained as an employee.

                    ARTICLE III. PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS, COMPANY
                    CONTRIBUTIONS AND STOCK PURCHASE ACCOUNT

     Section 3.01 Deduction from Pay. The form described in Section 2.02 will
permit a Participant to elect payroll deductions of any multiple of 1% but not
less than 1% or more than 15% of such Participant's Current Compensation for
each pay period, subject to such other limitations as the Committee in its sole
discretion may impose. A Participant may cease making payroll deductions at any
time, subject to such limitations as the Committee in its sole discretion may
impose. In the event that during a Purchase Period the entire credit balance in
a Participant's Stock Purchase Account exceeds the product of (a) 85% of the
Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the first business day of that Purchase
Period, and (b) 22,500, then payroll deductions for such Participant shall
automatically cease, and shall resume on the first pay period of the next
Purchase Period.

                                                                             -3-
<PAGE>

     Section 3.02 Company Contributions. The Company may, in the sole discretion
of the Committee, from time to time contribute to each Participant's Stock
Purchase Account an amount equal to up to 50% of each payroll deduction credited
to such Account. No Company contributions shall be deemed to have been made
until such contributions are credited to the Participant's Stock Purchase
Account as provided in Section 3.03.

     Section 3.03 Credit to Account. Payroll deductions will be credited to the
Participant's Stock Purchase Account on each payday, and Company contributions
will be credited to the Participant's Stock Purchase Account on the last
business day of the Purchase Period at the time of and in connection with the
purchase of shares of Common Stock in accordance with Articles IV and V hereof.

     Section 3.04 Interest. No interest will be paid upon payroll deductions,
Company contributions or on any amount credited to, or on deposit in, a
Participant's Stock Purchase Account.

     Section 3.05 Nature of Account. The Stock Purchase Account is established
solely for accounting purposes, and all amounts credited to the Stock Purchase
Account will remain part of the general assets of the Company or the
Participating Affiliate (as the case may be).

     Section 3.06 No Additional Contributions. A Participant may not make any
payment into the Stock Purchase Account other than the payroll deductions made
pursuant to the Plan.

                      ARTICLE IV. RIGHT TO PURCHASE SHARES

     Section 4.01 Number of Shares. Each Participant will have the right to
purchase on the last business day of the Purchase Period all, but not less than
all, of the largest number of shares of Common Stock, both whole and any
fractional share, that can be purchased at the price specified in Section 4.02
with the entire credit balance in the Participant's Stock Purchase Account,
subject to the limitations that (a) no more than 22,500 shares of Common Stock
may be purchased under the Plan by any one Participant for a given Purchase
Period and (b) in accordance with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code, no more than
$25,000 in Fair Market Value (determined at the beginning of each Purchase
Period) of Common Stock and other stock may be purchased under the Plan and all
other employee stock purchase plans (if any) of the Company and the Affiliates
by any one Participant for any calendar year. If the purchases for all
Participants would otherwise cause the aggregate number of shares of Common
Stock to be sold under the Plan to exceed the number specified in Section 10.03,
each Participant shall be allocated a pro rata portion of the Common Stock to be
sold.

     Section 4.02 Purchase Price. The purchase price for any Purchase Period
shall be the lesser of (a) 85% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on
the first business day of that Purchase Period or (b) 85% of the Fair Market
Value of the Common Stock on the last business day of that Purchase Period, in
each case rounded up to the next higher full cent.

                                                                             -4-
<PAGE>

                          ARTICLE V. EXERCISE OF RIGHT

     Section 5.01 Purchase of Stock. On the last business day of a Purchase
Period, the entire credit balance in each Participant's Stock Purchase Account
will be used to purchase the largest number of both whole and any fractional
shares of Common Stock purchasable with such amount (subject to the limitations
of Section 4.01), unless the Participant has filed with the Company, in advance
of that date and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee in its
sole discretion may impose, a form provided by the Company which requests the
distribution of the entire credit balance in cash.

     Section 5.02 Cash Distributions. Any amount remaining in a Participant's
Stock Purchase Account after the last business day of a Purchase Period will be
paid to the Participant in cash within 30 days after the end of that Purchase
Period.

     Section 5.03 Notice of Acceleration Date. The Company shall use its best
efforts to notify each Participant in writing at least ten days prior to any
Acceleration Date that the then current Purchase Period will end on such
Acceleration Date.

                 ARTICLE VI. WITHDRAWAL FROM PLAN; SALE OF STOCK

     Section 6.01 Voluntary Withdrawal. A Participant may, in accordance with
such terms and conditions as the Committee in its sole discretion may impose,
withdraw from the Plan and cease making payroll deductions by filing with the
Company a form provided for this purpose. In such event, the entire credit
balance in the Participant's Stock Purchase Account will be paid to the
Participant in cash within 30 days, provided that in no event shall any
Participant be entitled to withdraw from such Account any Company contributions
credited to such Account at the end of the Purchase Period pursuant to Section
3.03. A Participant who withdraws from the Plan will not be eligible to reenter
the Plan until the beginning of the next Purchase Period following the date of
such withdrawal.

     Section 6.02 Death. Subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee
in its sole discretion may impose, upon the death of a Participant, no further
amounts shall be credited to the Participant's Stock Purchase Account.
Thereafter, on the last business day of the Purchase Period during which such
Participant's death occurred and in accordance with Section 5.01, the entire
credit balance in such Participant's Stock Purchase Account will be used to
purchase Common Stock, unless such Participant's estate has filed with the
Company, in advance of that day and subject to such terms and conditions as the
Committee in its sole discretion may impose, a form provided by the Company
which elects to have the entire credit balance in such Participant's Stock
Account distributed in cash within 30 days after the end of that Purchase Period
or at such earlier time as the Committee in its sole discretion may decide,
provided that in no event shall any Participant's estate be entitled to receive
from such Account any Company contributions credited to such Account at the end
of the Purchase Period pursuant to Section 3.03. Each Participant, however, may
designate one or more beneficiaries who, upon death, are to receive the Common
Stock or the amount that otherwise would have been distributed or paid to the
Participant's estate and may change or revoke any such designation from time to
time. No

                                                                             -5-
<PAGE>

such designation, change or revocation will be effective unless made by the
Participant in writing and filed with the Company during the Participant's
lifetime. Unless the Participant has otherwise specified the beneficiary
designation, the beneficiary or beneficiaries so designated will become fixed as
of the date of the death of the Participant so that, if a beneficiary survives
the Participant but dies before the receipt of the payment due such beneficiary,
the payment will be made to such beneficiary's estate.

     Section 6.03 Termination of Employment. Subject to such terms and
conditions as the Committee in its sole discretion may impose, upon a
Participant's normal or early retirement with the consent of the Company under
any pension or retirement plan of the Company or Participating Affiliate, no
further amounts shall be credited to the Participant's Stock Purchase Account.
Thereafter, on the last business day of the Purchase Period during which such
Participant's approved retirement occurred and in accordance with Section 5.01,
the entire credit balance in such Participant's Stock Purchase Account will be
used to purchase Common Stock, unless such Participant has filed with the
Company, in advance of that day and subject to such terms and conditions as the
Committee in its sole discretion may impose, a form provided by the Company
which elects to receive the entire credit balance in such Participant's Stock
Purchase Account in cash within 30 days after the end of that Purchase Period,
provided that (i) in no event shall any Participant be entitled to receive from
such Account any Company contributions credited to such Account at the end of
the Purchase Period pursuant to Section 3.03, and (ii) such Participant shall
have no right to purchase Common Stock in the event that the last day of such a
Purchase Period occurs more than three months following the termination of such
Participant's employment with the Company by reason of such an approved
retirement. In the event of any other termination of employment (other than
death) with the Company or a Participating Affiliate, participation in the Plan
will cease on the date the Participant ceases to be a Permanent Full-Time
Employee for any reason. In such event, the entire credit balance in such
Participant's Stock Purchase Account will be paid to the Participant in cash
within 30 days, provided that in no event shall any Participant be entitled to
receive from such Account any Company contributions credited to such Account at
the end of the Purchase Period pursuant to Section 3.03. For purposes of this
Section 6.03, a transfer of employment to any Affiliate, or a leave of absence
which has been approved by the Committee, will not be deemed a termination of
employment as a Permanent Full-Time Employee.

                         ARTICLE VII. NONTRANSFERABILITY

     Section 7.01 Nontransferable Right to Purchase. The right to purchase
Common Stock hereunder may not be assigned, transferred, pledged or hypothecated
(whether by operation of law or otherwise), except as provided in Section 6.02,
and will not be subject to execution, attachment or similar process. Any
attempted assignment, transfer, pledge, hypothecation or other disposition or
levy of attachment or similar process upon the right to purchase will be null
and void and without effect.

     Section 7.02 Nontransferable Account. Except as provided in Section 6.02,
the amounts credited to a Stock Purchase Account may not be assigned,
transferred, pledged or hypothecated in any way, and any attempted assignment,
transfer, pledge, hypothecation or other disposition of such amounts will be
null and void and without effect.

                                                                             -6-
<PAGE>

                        ARTICLE VIII. STOCK CERTIFICATES

     Section 8.01 Delivery. Promptly after the last day of each Purchase Period
and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee in its sole discretion
may impose, the Company will cause to be delivered to or for the benefit of the
Participant a certificate representing the Common Stock purchased on the last
business day of such Purchase Period or cause to be made a book-entry credit
representing such Common Stock for the benefit of the Participant.

     Section 8.02 Securities Laws. The Company shall not be required to issue or
deliver any certificate representing Common Stock prior to registration under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or registration or qualification under
any state law if such registration is required. The Company shall use its best
efforts to accomplish such registration (if and to the extent required) not
later than a reasonable time following the Purchase Period, and delivery of
certificates may be deferred until such registration is accomplished.

     Section 8.03 Completion of Purchase. A Participant shall have no interest
in the Common Stock purchased until a certificate representing the same is
issued to or for the benefit of the Participant.

     Section 8.04 Form of Ownership. The certificates representing Common Stock
issued under the Plan will be registered in the name of the Participant or
jointly in the name of the Participant and another person, as the Participant
may direct on a form provided by the Company.

                    ARTICLE IX. EFFECTIVE DATE, AMENDMENT AND
                               TERMINATION OF PLAN

     Section 9.01 Effective Date. The Plan was approved by the Board of
Directors on September 16, 1999 and shall be approved by the stockholders of the
Company prior to the Effective Date.

     Section 9.02 Plan Commencement. The initial Purchase Period under the Plan
will commence on the Effective Date. Thereafter, each succeeding Purchase Period
will commence and terminate in accordance with Section 1.03(m).

     Section 9.03 Powers of Board. The Board of Directors may amend or
discontinue the Plan at any time. No amendment or discontinuation of the Plan,
however, shall without stockholder approval be made that: (i) absent such
stockholder approval, would cause Rule 16b-3 under the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended (the "Act") to become unavailable with respect to the Plan,
(ii) requires stockholder approval under any rules or regulations of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or any securities exchange that
are applicable to the Company, or (iii) permit the issuance of Common Stock
before payment therefor in full

                                                                             -7-
<PAGE>

     Section 9.04 Automatic Termination. The Plan shall automatically terminate
when all of the shares of Common Stock provided for in Section 10.03 have been
sold.

                            ARTICLE X. ADMINISTRATION

     Section 10.01 The Committee. The Plan shall be administered by a committee
(the "Committee") of two or more directors of the Company, none of whom shall be
officers or employees of the Company and all of whom shall be "disinterested
persons" with respect to the Plan within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the
Act. The members of the Committee shall be appointed by and serve at the
pleasure of the Board of Directors.

     Section 10.02 Powers of Committee. Subject to the provisions of the Plan,
the Committee shall have full authority to administer the Plan, including
authority to interpret and construe any provision of the Plan, to establish
deadlines by which the various administrative forms must be received in order to
be effective, and to adopt such other rules and regulations for administering
the Plan as it may deem appropriate. The Committee shall have full and complete
authority to determine whether all or any part of the Common Stock acquired
pursuant to the Plan shall be subject to restrictions on the transferability
thereof or any other restrictions affecting in any manner a Participant's rights
with respect thereto but any such restrictions shall be contained in the form by
which a Participant elects to participate in the Plan pursuant to Section 2.02.
Decisions of the Committee will be final and binding on all parties who have an
interest in the Plan.

     Section 10.03 Stock to be Sold. The Common Stock to be issued and sold
under the Plan may be treasury shares or authorized but unissued shares, or the
Company may purchase Common Stock in the market for sale under the Plan. Except
as provided in Section 11.01, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock to
be sold under the Plan will not exceed 900,000 shares.

     Section 10.04 Notices. Notices to the Committee should be addressed as
follow:

              eBenX, Inc.
              5500 Wayzata Boulevard, Suite 1275
              Minneapolis, Minnesota  55416
              Attention: Chairman, Employee Stock Purchase Plan Committee

                       ARTICLE XI. ADJUSTMENT FOR CHANGES
                               IN STOCK OR COMPANY

     Section 11.01 Stock Dividend or Reclassification. If the outstanding shares
of Common Stock are increased, decreased, changed into or exchanged for a
different number or kind of securities of the Company, or shares of a different
par value or without par value, through reorganization, recapitalization,
reclassification, stock dividend, stock split, amendment to the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation, reverse stock split or otherwise, an appropriate
adjustment shall be made in the maximum numbers and kind of securities to be
purchased under the Plan with a corresponding adjustment in the purchase price
to be paid therefor.

                                                                             -8-
<PAGE>

     Section 11.02 Merger or Consolidation. If the Company is merged into or
consolidated with one or more corporations during the term of the Plan,
appropriate adjustments will be made to give effect thereto on an equitable
basis in terms of issuance of shares of the corporation surviving the merger or
of the consolidated corporation, as the case may be.

                           ARTICLE XII. APPLICABLE LAW

     Section 12.01 Minnesota Law. Rights to purchase Common Stock granted under
the Plan shall be construed and shall take effect in accordance with the laws of
the State of Minnesota.

                                                                             -9-

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