"[1] Telehealth before meeting a High Deductible Health Plan's (HDHP) deductible ... [2] Dependent care FSA limit raised starting in 2026 ... [3] Bronze and catastrophic exchange-based plans are now eligible as HDHPs ... [4] Tax-free student loan repayment assistance."  MORE >>

"[T]he policy must include a statement that the employer will not require employees to provide details about the medical condition that led the employee to use prenatal leave and that it will keep any information it does receive about the employee's use of prenatal leave confidential.... New York City has also updated the Notice of Employee Rights that must be provided to all employees.... Employers must provide certain information concerning prenatal leave on employee wage statements, but only during weeks when prenatal leave is used."  MORE >>

"Employers must provide notice to employees of their rights under the Act no later than July 31, 2025.... The Act requires all employers in Alaska to provide paid sick leave to their employees, regardless of whether the employee's role is full-time or part-time.... [1] Paid sick leave accrual rates.... [2] Yearly minimums and existing PTO policies.... [3] Protected uses of paid sick leave.... [4] Restrictions on requiring documentation ... [5] No requirement to pay out unused paid sick leave; [6] Carryover required.... [7] No retaliation."  MORE >>

"A Seventh Circuit opinion warns employers against strictly relying on health care provider certifications for FMLA leave when they possess additional information about an employee's health condition. Employees who fail to comply with paid leave substitution policies are still entitled to unpaid FMLA leave. Employers may want to review their paid leave substitution policies to ensure compliance with FMLA regulations and avoid potential legal issues." [Davis v. Illinois Dept. of Human Serv., No. 22-2118 (7th Cir. May 14, 2025)]   MORE >>

"[A]ll 50 states have laws that regulate PBMs in some way, but all are unique.... [Most] have the same primary goals of reducing governmental waste and addressing the rising cost of drugs.... [M]any states have started implementing laws that have either a direct reference to self-insured plans or, even when silent on whether they apply to self-insured plans, still have a direct effect on the actions of the plan administrators."  MORE >>

"We’ve arrived at the point when a string of regulatory maneuvers largely unnoticed by employers have grown significant enough to bring about a bigger, more significant change. What can plan fiduciaries, therefore, do to lessen the rising risks?"  MORE >>

"[D]ata, AI and expert analysis enable the design of a targeted voluntary benefits plan that supports the company's core healthcare strategy, addresses affordability and boosts employee retention.... [W]hen it comes to offering voluntary options, personalization is the secret to success."  MORE >>

"[The authors] estimate the causal effect of experiencing a health shock within a couple on the health of the initially unaffected partner.... [F]indings reveal a significant deterioration in the partner's health outlook ... [which] is broad in scope, encompassing higher risk of infections, accidents, and digestive and cardiovascular conditions [and] is accompanied by substantial increases in stress, anxiety and depression for both men and women, as well as sleep disorders for women. These effects are not driven by a heavy caregiving load, financial distress or worsening of health behaviors.... [T]he adverse outcomes persist despite suggestive positive changes[.]"  MORE >>

12 pages. "[The Council offers] comments that apply to the prescription drug MRF disclosure requirement specifically while also outlining additional recommendations -- beyond the questions posed in the RFI -- to increase transparency with the goal of providing access to appropriate pricing information to make informed decisions with the intent to understand and address the cost of health care for employers and working families."  MORE >>

14-page chart summarizes House and Senate proposals, along with final provisions and effective dates.  MORE >>