"[T]he Neonatal Intensive Care Leave Act (NICLA) ... will require employers with 16 or more employees to provide certain amounts of unpaid leave (depending on the size of the employer) to all employees while any child of the employee is a patient in a neonatal intensive care unit.... The leave may be taken intermittently or consecutively, and employers can also require the leave to be taken in minimum increments of 2 hours."  MORE >>

"While more employers may be able to take the credit under the OBBBA, there may still be some challenges.... [T]he compensation limit could minimize the number of employees for whom the employer can take the credit.... [W]hile it is helpful for employers to count paid leave required by state or local law towards the two-week requirement, it could be challenging for employers to exclude that PFML when calculating the credit amount[.]"  MORE >>

"Employers that sponsor their own self-insured health plans rely heavily on third-party administrators (TPAs) and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to process claims, manage networks, control costs, and deliver programs that support a healthier workforce.... This article highlights the essential elements of fiduciary oversight and provides a practical structure for building an oversight function that strengthens compliance and plan performance."  MORE >>

"Unprecedented external pressures are affecting how employers approach benefit offerings ... [N]early 12 million members covered by health plans could move to an innovative product design by 2030.... Employers are open to alternative network arrangements in pursuit of cost control.... Employers are prepared to scale back solutions that cannot demonstrate a hard ROI or high value to employees.... Redefining the sales playbook: Using data, AI, and demos to deliver value to employers ... Hypercustomize RFP responses ... Move from fixed to pay-for-performance pricing."  MORE >>

"18% of non-federal hospitals experienced at least one documented case of public brinksmanship with an insurance company from June 2021 to May 2025 ... Over the same period, 8% of hospitals ultimately went out-of-network with an insurer, at least for a time. Industry observers say long-standing trends like hospital consolidation and rising health care costs contribute to the disputes[.]"  MORE >>

"To effectively drive real innovation and impact in healthcare, CEOs, CFOs and CHROs need to be ... [1] [C]hanging the viewpoint of healthcare from being a cost center to an investment strategy. [2] Demanding clarity and data fluency from vendors and health plans ... [3] Authorizing investments in innovative concepts and deeply monitoring their impact. [4] Building internal competencies around care outcomes."  MORE >>

"After examining ERISA and the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA), the Ninth Circuit held that the employer could not unilaterally add an arbitration provision to an ERISA plan without obtaining consent from a 'relevant party.' ... The Ninth Circuit rejected the employer's argument that consent was not needed because employers can generally modify ERISA health plans unilaterally." [Platt v. Sodexo, S.A., No. 23-55737 (9th Cir. Aug. 4, 2025)]  MORE >>

"Though many of the solutions are geared toward individual investors, they can work for retirement plan participants. Even so, personalized retirement planning powered by AI is in its infancy, and plan sponsors are hardly early adopters of the shiny new tool. But the possibility of tailoring strategies to individual needs -- income, expenses, risk tolerance and long-term goals -- while keeping planning simple and accessible is becoming an increasingly feasible solution."  MORE >>

"[A]dding ESI would raise payroll taxes by about $400 per year on average and reduce Social Security's 75-year shortfall by about 25 percent. This option is somewhat regressive -- as it would collect no additional taxes from earners above the wage cap -- but it could be part of a larger reform package."  MORE >>