An employee benefits consultant provides comprehensive advisory services to larger employers on plan design, vendor selection, and regulatory compliance, work that's often housed within large national advisory firms such as Mercer, Aon, Willis Towers Watson, Gallagher, and Lockton. Unlike a broker, a consultant more often works on a fee basis, though the CAA requires full compensation disclosure regardless of structure.
Consultants sit at the center of the GLP-1 and specialty drug cost conversation, identified by multiple industry surveys as the single hottest client issue heading into 2026, with pharmacy costs alone now accounting for 27% of total employer health spend. Total consultant compensation runs roughly 2-7% of total premium for a typical account.
Consultants typically work on a fee basis within larger national advisory firms and provide broader strategic advisory across plan design, vendor selection, and compliance, while brokers are more often carrier-commission-based and serve small to mid-size employers.
GLP-1 and specialty drug cost is widely cited as the single hottest client issue consultants are currently navigating, with employer pharmacy spend now making up 27% of total health spend.
Yes. The CAA's disclosure requirement under ERISA Section 408(b)(2)(B) applies to any covered service provider expecting $1,000 or more in compensation, whether structured as a fee or a commission.
Every term here points to the same gap in healthcare access. See how the CareStation closes it.
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