Million-dollar-plus claims increased in frequency by 46% from 2022 to 2026.

"Employers must now prepare for dual compliance at both federal and state levels, and advisors play a critical role in ensuring they're ready," said Wes Hill, vice president, regulatory affairs, for RxBenefits.

Two-thirds of small and mid-sized businesses surveyed paid fees they didn't anticipate when selecting their current retirement plan provider.

"Much more work is needed to understand telemedicine's longer-term effects on quality of care, health outcomes and spending, and whether those effects differ across the diverse populations who depend on it," said Dr. Katherine Kahn of the UCLA medical school.

Nearly 8 in 10 employers report that GLP-1s are driving an increase in their company's health care costs.

The research shows that the barrier to health often is relatively small—typically less than $1,500.

"Employees aren't disengaged because they don't care; instead it's because benefits are too hard to navigate," said Jonathan Porter, CEO of Castlight Health.

Out-of-pocket spending for covered drugs would count toward a patient's maximum out-of-pocket and deductible regardless of where such drugs are purchased under the Every Dollar Counts Act introduced by Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C.