BenefitsWire

“U.S. healthcare spending spiked 7.3% last year to reach $5.7 trillion, driven by soaring spending on hospital services and pricey prescription drugs like GLP-1s, according to new government data. The sharp spending growth isn't primarily caused by increasing prices. Cost growth has been moderate. Instead, Americans are consuming more healthcare after a lag during the coronavirus pandemic, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services actuaries said. ... Retail prescription drug spending is forecast to grow at the fastest clip over the next decade but especially in 2025 and 2026 due to more Americans utilizing expensive drugs for conditions like cancer — and rabid demand for GLP-1s.” MORE >>

Source: HR Dive

“Quick Hits The order is grounded in findings that roughly 1.4 million New Yorkers—about a third of the city’s workforce—work outdoors for prolonged periods, and that the city could experience more than four times as many heat waves each year by the 2050s.” MORE >>

Source: Ogletree Deakins

“ASAP By Stephanie Mills-Gallan and Ellen Donovan McCann It is that time of year again when many state paid family and medical leave (PFML) programs roll out mid-year updates to benefit levels and related metrics.” MORE >>

Source: Littler

“Only 52 percent of adults with mental illness receive treatment. ... Normalized use of mental health benefits differs by industry, from a high of 50 percent of workers at professional services firms to a low of 23 percent of workers in construction. First responders are more likely than office-based workers to say using benefits feels risky or uncomfortable (39 percent vs. 9 percent). ... The largest number identified time constraints as a barrier to seeking care.” MORE >>

Source: Segal