Washington Update Briefing on Employee Health, Fringe and Retirement Benefits

Mercer

During the webinar we will be conducting a brief flash survey to gauge employers’ intentions regarding contributions to Trump Accounts.

As midterm elections approach, Congress continues to prioritize healthcare affordability, with a particular focus on employer-centered policies. Proposals under consideration include additional oversight and transparency requirements for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), broader healthcare price transparency initiatives, adoption of “site neutral” provider payment policies, and limits on anti-competitive provisions in provider contracts. On the retirement front, pending legislation would expand investment options for defined contribution (DC) plans, provide greater flexibility for the use of surplus defined benefit plan assets, and impose higher pleading standards for lawsuits challenging ERISA plans.

Recent PBM reforms enacted as part of government funding legislation, along with proposed Department of Labor (DOL) rules, aim to provide employer-sponsored group health plans with increased visibility into PBM compensation and prescription drug pricing. The Trump administration has also proposed extensive changes to the machine-readable files required for in-network rates and out-of-network allowed amounts, issued guidance implementing the health savings account enhancements in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and overhauled federal vaccine recommendations. Ongoing litigation covers a range of topics, including prescription drug practices, tobacco surcharges and so-called “ghost” networks. 

DC retirement plan sponsors are contending with several developments at the DOL, including new enforcement priorities, the ongoing fiduciary rule saga, and possible increased scrutiny of proxy voting. The SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 also continues to weigh on sponsors’ minds as the plan document compliance deadline for most of the law’s provisions looms at year-end.

Experts from Mercer’s Law & Policy Group will discuss these and other issues during this live 90-minute webinar.

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