Articles from Segal

Segal, a leading benefits and HR consulting firm, today announced that John DeMairo has been appointed as the firm’s new President and Chief Executive Officer by the Board of Directors, succeeding David Blumenstein, effective January 1, 2026. As an independent, privately-owned company, Segal is known for providing personalized, unbiased advice in supporting more than 2,500 clients and DeMairo will focus on extending the client-first model.

Segal, a leading benefits and HR consulting firm, today issued the 2026 Segal Health Plan Cost Trend Survey. The 29th annual report reveals GLP-1 medications, provider price inflation, increases in high-cost oncology treatments and record utilization of mental health services as the main drivers of rising healthcare costs for 2026.

Segal, a leading benefits and human resources consulting firm, today announced its acquisition of Intactic, an employee communications company. This will expand Segal’s employee communications resources for its rapidly growing client roster as part of Segal’s commitment to provide impactful communications services.

Segal, a leading benefits and human resources consulting firm, today announced its acquisition of a book of business from the J.A. Mariano Agency, a commercial insurance brokerage. The agency had served the insurance needs of labor organizations, multiemployer funds and private and not-for-profit firms for more than 40 years. This transaction, along with the addition of specialized new staff to maximize client support, augments Segal’s established Insurance Brokerage Practice’s capabilities as a retail insurance broker dedicated to addressing risks related to workplaces, unions and benefit plans.

The annual cost trend for medical plans is projected to increase to 8 percent, according to new data from the 2025 Segal Health Plan Cost Trend Survey, released by leading benefits and HR consulting firm Segal. Survey respondents anticipate that medical plan costs will rise higher than any of the previous 15 years of reported actuals, aside from the COVID rebound year of 2021. Price inflation is the dominant factor on medical costs, as providers, suppliers and manufacturers seek to maintain or rebuild margins in the face of their own increased costs.

Leading benefits and HR consulting firm Segal released its 2024 State Employee Health Benefit Study today, alongside an interactive map revealing state-by-state comparisons of health benefit plans. The study reveals medical and prescription drug plan design and benefit cost-sharing arrangements available to full-time active employees enrolled in state benefit plans in all 50 states for 2023-2024.

The projected annual cost trend for outpatient prescription drugs is expected to approach 10 percent, coming after three years of actual trend exceeding projections, according to new data from the 2024 Segal Health Plan Cost Trend Survey, released by leading benefits and HR consulting firm Segal. Additionally, the per-person cost trend for open-access PPO/POS plans is projected to be 6.8 percent and the medical trend projections for Medicare-eligible retirees with Medicare Advantage PPO plans is forecasted to be 4.9 percent. The projected rise is to be driven by factors including prescription drug inflation, which continues to be the primary driver for inpatient hospital, physician and overall prescription medication trends.

Segal, a leading benefits and HR consulting firm, has released an innovative cybersecurity risk subscription service, Segal Cyber Advisor, to help organizations manage and mitigate evolving cybersecurity risk.

Health care spending in 2021 spiked an average of 14% per covered participant, the highest increase in a decade. The surge was primarily driven by the return of previously deferred medical care and the uptick of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics, according to data released today by leading benefits and HR consulting firm Segal in its 2023 Health Plan Cost Trend Survey. In the 26th annual survey respondents reported 2023 trend forecasts as well as actual health cost trends for 2021 for medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage, based on group health plan experience.

Segal, a leading benefits and HR consulting firm, has acquired Bayview Insurance Group d/b/a Union Services Agency (USA), a Michigan-based insurance brokerage firm. The brokerage has focused on serving the insurance needs of labor organizations, multiemployer funds and public sector entities for more than 25 years.

Segal, a leading benefits and HR consulting firm, has released its 2022 Health Plan Cost Trend Survey, marking the 25th annual survey of health insurers, managed care organizations (MCOs), pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and third-party administrators (TPAs). For the first time since the Segal survey was launched, U.S. health plan trend costs decreased. While health plan cost trends have increased between 5-7% each year for the past 10 years, open-access PPOs/POS plans reported that actual trend was -2.1 percent in 2020, though the projected trend was 6.8 percent. This significant decrease was due to suspended and eliminated care because of COVID-19. However, most forecasters expect costs trend increases to return to pre-COVID levels moving forward.

Segal, a leading benefits and HR consulting firm, has released its 2021 Multiemployer Zone Status Survey. The Segal Zone Status Survey is based on the most up-to-date information compiled directly from Segal’s multiemployer pension plan clients.