Worth the Hassle

Fierce Healthcare — US telehealth utilization increased 10.1% from the fourth quarter of 2025 to the first quarter of 2026, with mental health visits leading the growth, according to Fair Health's Quarterly Telehealth Regional Tracker.

The data showed a 6.3% rise in the percentage of patients with a telehealth claim, from 17.3% to 18.4%, with the largest relative increase in the Northeast at 7.3%.

Mental health conditions accounted for 52.1% of telehealth claims nationally, with the highest share among adults aged 18-49 at 55.6%.

Employee Wellness — The role of therapists in corporate wellness is expanding beyond one-on-one care to include workshops, coaching, and organizational support, driven by the growing priority of employee mental health in the workplace.

According to recent research, 55% of workers in the U.S. report experiencing burnout at work, impacting efficiency, job performance, and retention.

Therapists are uniquely qualified to help employees manage change and process the mental and emotional fallout of a rapidly changing workplace.

Employee Wellness — Corporate wellness is shifting from participation-based to performance-enabled models, with a focus on Outcome-Based Wellness Contracts (OBCs) that link vendor payment to measurable results.

Employers are moving towards hybrid models that combine fixed fees with performance guarantees, and are increasingly measuring wellness ROI beyond participation metrics.

The market is evolving towards Value-on-Investment (VOI) frameworks, with nearly 70% of employers adopting this approach, according to Macorva's findings.

KMTV Omaha — A study found that men taking GLP-1 medications for weight loss or diabetes treatment saw improved testosterone levels, sperm count, and sperm quality after 24 weeks.

The results suggest that GLP-1s may have benefits for male fertility, although more research is needed.

Weight loss and reduced inflammation from GLP-1s may contribute to healthier hormone function and sperm production.

Employee Wellness — A SHRM and Raymond James research report found that despite 59% of workers reporting strong financial wellness, 74% experience financial stress, and most employers lack programs to address it.

The report surveyed over 2,300 US workers and 1,000 HR professionals and found that financial stress is closely tied to engagement, retention, and organizational performance.

Only 11% of HR professionals described their organizations' financial wellness programs as highly developed.

Employee Benefit Trends — Employer spending on GLP-1 drugs has doubled in a single year, rising from $11 to $24 per member per month, and now accounts for 10.5% of all prescription drug claims.

This increase is driving budget strain for employers, with 64% experiencing significant strain from benefit costs, and affecting employees, with 59% delaying medical care due to cost.

As a result, employers are adjusting their benefits spending, with 57% planning to rebalance or reallocate existing benefits budgets over the next three years.

Employee Wellness — The Department of Labor (DOL) has announced that penalties for benefit plan violations will remain the same for 2026. This means that employers who fail to comply with benefit plan regulations will face the same fines as in previous years.

The DOL penalty amounts are not changing for 2026, providing consistency for employers who must comply with benefit plan regulations.

Employee Benefit Trends — The US Department of Labor published four new opinion letters on May 28, 2026, covering topics such as exempt workers performing non-exempt work and bonus structures that include overtime compensation.

The letters provide guidance on the application of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to specific factual scenarios.

The DOL's opinion letter program aims to help employers and businesses understand the FLSA's rules and regulations.