"Employers are budgeting higher due to uncertainty and the anticipation that inflationary pressures will increase the cost of health care services," says Debbie Ashford North America chief actuary for health solutions at Aon.

"There are issues of reimbursement, equitable access to vaccines and treatment, and distribution that need to be resolved," says Anne McDonald Pritchett, senior vice president of PhRMA.

"In times of grave talent shortages, rehires are on the rise and considered an untapped source of talent for organizations. Data suggests that today's boomerang employees typically return to their previous employers reenergized, armed with new skills and ready to renegotiate their terms."

As more employers have difficulty filling police, fire, corrections, health care and other positions, more than 20% are offering permanent pay increases, and 19% offer targeted hiring bonuses.

The legislation would require the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate directly with drug manufacturers over the price of some high-cost drugs in the Medicare program.

"Because health plans typically have multi-year contracts with health care providers, we haven't felt the full effect of price inflation in health plan cost increases yet," says Sunit Patel, Mercer's chief actuary for health and benefits.

Routine health care is interrupted, and chronic illnesses often go unmanaged.

The complaint charges that Alliant immediately began contacting Gallagher clients to induce them to leave Gallagher and move their business to Alliant.