"Despite the pause in litigation, the halting of any noncompliance enforcement, and the Departments’ reconsideration of the 2024 Final Rule, sponsors are not relieved from their current obligations under the 2013 final rule, including the obligation to perform a comparative analysis."  MORE >>

"Employees who lose their existing health insurance due to job loss, reduction in work hours, or the end of COBRA continuation coverage are eligible for special enrollment.... HIPAA requires a group health plan to provide special enrollment opportunities to certain employees who acquire a new spouse or dependent by marriage, birth, adoption, or placement for adoption."  MORE >>

"Effective October 1, 2025, access to the Connecticut Family Medical Leave Act (CT FMLA) and Connecticut Paid Family Medical Leave Insurance (CT Paid Leave) will be expanded to include all non-certified school employees at both public schools and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools in Connecticut."  MORE >>

"A district judge has forbidden federal agencies to enforce requirements for healthcare providers and plans to deliver or cover gender-transition procedures over religious objections.... [The ruling] strikes an interpretation from the Biden administration's [HHS] to include gender identity as part of the [ACA's] Title IX prohibition of discrimination 'on the basis of sex.' " [Catholic Benefits Assoc. v. HHS and EEOC, No. 23-0203 (D.N.D. Jun. 5, 2025)]  MORE >>

14 pages. Federal and state developments shaping the PBM landscape this season. Includes: [1] The latest federal transparency proposals and what they could mean for PBMs; [2] Key takeaways from ongoing FTC litigation; and [3] State-level legislative momentum and emerging trends.  MORE >>

"To control rising costs, many employers are adopting a mix of strategies ... How you communicate these changes is just as important as what you implement.... [1] Establish clear, empathetic messaging ... [2] Communicate through the right channels ... [3] Educate employees on their benefits ... [4] Offer support tools."  MORE >>

"With rising costs, economic instability, and employees demanding more support and personalization, organizations must transform how they think about benefits.... [This is] a story of smarter spending, sharper focus and using benefits as a strategic tool to drive engagement, retention and purpose."  MORE >>

"The latest enforcement actions involve settlements ranging from $25,000 to $350,000 and breaches affecting between 4,304 and 585,621 individuals' ePHI.... [U]nlike the prior Risk Analysis Initiative cases that were publicized during the Biden Administration, which all stemmed from ransomware attacks, these more recent cases reflect a broader range of security failures."  MORE >>

"[I]ndividuals and businesses in parts of Oklahoma that were affected by wildfires and straight-line winds that began on March 14, 2025 ... now have until Nov. 3, 2025, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.... [I]ndividuals and households that reside or have a business in Cleveland, Creek, Lincoln, Oklahoma, Pawnee, and Payne counties qualify for tax relief."  MORE >>

"[I]ndividuals and businesses in parts of Missouri that were affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and wildfires that began on March 14, 2025 ... now have until Nov. 3, 2025, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.... [I]ndividuals and households that reside or have a business in Bollinger, Butler, Callaway, Camden, Carter, Dunklin, Franklin, Howell, Iron, Jefferson, Madison, New Madrid, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Phelps, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, St. Louis, Stoddard, Wayne, Webster, and Wright counties qualify for tax relief."  MORE >>

"[1] Review daily, weekly, or monthly reports from the vendor's cybersecurity monitoring tools ... [2] Audit the vendor site and perform your own cybersecurity review and/or assessment. [3] Ask the vendor to provide annual copies of approved and objective third-party cybersecurity assessments. [4] Contract with your own cybersecurity experts to do penetration testing against your vendor (with your vendor's knowledge that the tests are occurring, of course)."  MORE >>