EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants has promoted Adam Okun (pictured) to president of its national employee benefits practice. The move puts pharmacy consulting at the center of the firm's strategy heading into one of the costliest benefits renewal cycles in years.
Okun, a 20-year employee benefits veteran, succeeds Craig Hasday, who takes on the role of vice chairman of employee benefits. He reports to Phil Moyles, co-president of EPIC. His primary mandate is integrating Pharmaceutical Strategies Group (PSG), an EPIC pharmacy consulting subsidiary, directly into the firm's employee benefits platform.
PSG has historically served commercial payers and large multinational organizations. Okun's appointment signals EPIC's intent to extend that expertise to employers of all sizes, from small group clients through to large national accounts.
Prescription drug costs are projected to climb 11.5% in 2027, according to the 2027 Segal Health Plan Cost Trend Survey. Plans covering GLP-1 medications for obesity management recorded pharmacy cost trend rates of 18.3% in 2025 based on Segal's plan experience data. For mid-market employers, pharmacy spend has moved from a line item to a strategic problem.
"Pharmacy benefits are a uniquely complex endeavor and employers need expertise that extends beyond traditional brokerage services," Hasday said. "Adam's leadership will deepen our pharmacy integration platform, resulting in easier access to more sophisticated pharmacy solutions for employers and their employees."
The share of employer-sponsored plans using one of the three largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) fell nine points in a single year, from 63.4% in 2025 to 54.3% in 2026, according to the 2026 Pulse of the Purchaser survey published by the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions. Smaller employers drove the shift, citing contract transparency gaps and fiduciary concerns.
Okun will also align EPIC's four client segments: small group, lower middle market, upper middle market, and large national consulting, under a more integrated national structure. The aim is giving clients access to specialist resources and local market knowledge through a single point of engagement.
"Our clients' needs are becoming ever more specialized, increasing their reliance on advisors who understand the unique challenges facing their business and workforce," Okun said. "I am laser focused on harnessing the full impact of our practice such that clients can access the right specialists, resources and solutions, regardless of their point of origin or the solutions they may have relied upon in the past."
Okun joined EPIC through its 2017 acquisition of Frenkel Benefits, where he served as co-president. He most recently served as regional practice leader before the August promotion. EPIC describes itself as a top 20 benefits consultant and broker in the US, with more than 1,500 employer clients.
The appointment comes as prescription drug costs reshape how employers fund their health plans, and as brokers face growing pressure to deliver pharmacy expertise alongside traditional consulting.
