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Summary: On April 2, 2026, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency governing Medicare, released a final rule for plan years beginning in calendar year 2027 impacting the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit program (“final rule”). Click here for a CMS fact sheet summarizing the final rule. Employers sponsoring group health plans should pay attention to two sp…

Summary: A federal judge in New York recently allowed certain ERISA claims against an employer group health plan sponsor for alleged pharmacy benefit mismanagement to proceed past a motion to dismiss. Read on for more information and employer group health plan sponsor considerations.

Employers sponsoring health and welfare benefit plans [1] subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) should take note of the upcoming Form 5500 filing deadline on July 31, 2026 for calendar year plans.

True transparency in the pharmacy benefit marketplace is more than publishing numbers or simplifying reports. It requires clear contractual, financial, and clinical accountability so plan sponsors can understand what drives their costs and what value they receive. When done correctly, transparency reduces the influence of artificial or undisclosed pricing structures and encourages a market focuse…

If your dental practice’s recent property renewal was unexpectedly high, you’re not alone. Premiums are rising, water ‑ damage deductibles are climbing, and some long ‑ time carriers are declining to renew, sending practices to the surplus lines market.

Summary: Spring is almost here, and with a new season comes a new compliance deadline looming for employers sponsoring group health plans: RxDC reporting for the 2025 reference year. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released updated RxDC reporting instructions for the 2025 reference year , which is due on June 1, 2026 . The updated instructions confirm no major change…

Summary: Employers covered by the San Francisco Health Care Security Ordinance (HCSO) are required to submit the 2025 HCSO Annual Reporting Form by Friday, May 1, 2026 . The 2025 HCSO Employer Annual Reporting Form will be available on April 1, 2026, at this webpage . Covered employers who fail to make a timely submission of the HCSO Annual Reporting Form may be subject to a penalty of $500 per q…

In the competitive landscape of enterprise leadership, retaining top talent requires more than a standard salary. It demands robust benefits packages, often in the form of non-qualified deferred compensation or supplemental retirement plans. For financial institutions and other enterprises, Corporate-Owned Life Insurance (COLI) serves as the silent engine funding these commitments. (Variations sp…

Employers seeking to deliver truly comprehensive benefits can no longer afford to overlook autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its growing impact on their workforce. ASD prevalence has risen sharply. In 2022, approximately one in 31 children eight years of age was diagnosed, compared with one in 150 in 2000, representing a nearly fourfold increase. [1] Yet access to care has not kept pace. There a…

Summary: In one of his last acts before leaving office, outgoing New Jersey (NJ) Governor Phil Murphy signed Assembly Bill (AB) 3451 on January 17, 2026 , amending the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJ FLA) to apply to smaller employers and ease employee eligibility requirements. AB 3451 also expands job protection for employees receiving benefits under NJ temporary disability insurance (TDI) and N…

As a 401(k) plan sponsor, you manage a significant responsibility. You must navigate complex regulations, manage fiduciary duties, and strive to offer a benefit that genuinely supports your employees' long-term financial security. A specialized retirement plan advisor can be an invaluable asset in this endeavor, providing focused guidance that extends far beyond basic plan administration.

As we previously reported here , the deadline for HIPAA [1] covered entities, including employer-sponsored group health plans, to update their Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) was February 16, 2026 , to reflect changes in accordance with a 2024 Final Rule ("2024 Final Rule") regarding protections for substance use disorder (SUD) information in Part 2 program patient records.