"The decision to rescind the regulations means that the first Trump administration's 2018 rules -- which essentially allow any employer that objects to covering birth control to opt-out of the ACA mandate -- will remain in place ... [Those] rules have enabled insurers and health insurance plans to cut out contraceptive coverage for employers and private universities that object."  MORE >>

"The Biden administration's proposed rule would have scrapped the 'moral' exemption and retained the 'religious' one. It also would have created an 'independent pathway' for people who have insurers with religious exemptions to access birth control through a 'willing contraceptive provider' at no cost, the HHS said when announcing the plan last year."  MORE >>

"Connecticut employees will have much broader paid sick leave rights starting January 1 ... A new state law not only significantly increases the number of employers that must offer paid sick days (as well the number of employees entitled to receive it) but also expands the reasons why an employee may take that paid time off. Connecticut employers also must be aware of other changes, including quicker accrual rates for paid sick leave and a new employee notice requirement."  MORE >>

"Among U.S. adults, 80% say insurers should cover weight loss drugs for adults diagnosed as overweight or obese ... Half of respondents also said insurance should cover the drugs even if it would increase premium costs.... According to [one] survey of more than 2,000 employers in 2024, 44% with 500 or more employees offer GLP-1 coverage for obesity. Among employers with 20,000 or more employees, 64% offer coverage."  MORE >>

"[A]lthough extension of the telehealth safe harbor was included in various bill drafts, the year-end spending bill ... does not include pre-deductible telehealth relief. This means that the telehealth services safe harbor will not be available for plan years starting on or after January 1, 2025.... [P]lan sponsors may want to consider next steps if relief is not finalized before year-end."  MORE >>

"The yearly limit on out-of-pocket payments ... is expected to lower millions of seniors' medical costs. It will have a particularly significant impact for patients taking expensive drugs to treat cancer and other serious conditions. ... Overall, 3.2 million Americans are expected to save money on prescription medications in 2025, increasing to 4.1 million by 2029[.]"  MORE >>

"Paid time off and health insurance top the charts in terms of benefits employees use the most, while stock options and wellbeing programs surpass traditional benefits like retirement plans and life insurance.... 79% of employees with access to wellness programs -- such as therapy/counseling, flexible work arrangements, fitness programs, financial wellness tools/education, women's health/reproductive support, childcare support -- actively utilize them[.]"  MORE >>

Chart includes annual limits for both Retirement and Health & Welfare Plans, covering years 2023-2025.  MORE >>

"[T]he Eleventh Circuit concluded that because Lubin was not a party to his wife's employment agreement, and because he had his own independent rights conferred on him by another source, i.e. federal law in the form of ERISA and COBRA, the agreement's arbitration clause was unenforceable against him. As a result, his claims will proceed in federal court, even though his co-plaintiff's identical claims ended up in arbitration." [Lubin v. Starbucks Corp., No. 21-11215 (11th Cir. Dec. 16, 2024)]  MORE >>