"Rhode Island has become the first state in the United States to mandate workplace accommodations for employees and applicants experiencing menopause and related medical conditions.... While the law does not yet define specific accommodations for menopause, it builds on the existing framework for pregnancy-related accommodations, which may include flexible scheduling, modified work environments, or additional breaks."  MORE >>

"[SB 41 requires] all PBMs in the state to be licensed by its Department of Insurance and prohibits multiple business practices that have drawn the ire of PBM critics, namely spread pricing arrangements and efforts to steer patients toward affiliated pharmacies. The legislation also mandates that PBMs pass all rebates through to the payer or patient and bars these companies from making exclusivity deals with drugmakers[.]"  MORE >>

"As open enrollment begins, employers should be strategic and consistent about communicating these changes to employees."  MORE >>

"Key Takeaways ... [1] Courts may compel insurers to produce documents required under ERISA's own procedural rules.... [2] Plaintiffs must present evidence suggesting the insurer's conflict actually affected the claim decision.... [3] Plaintiffs who tie discovery requests directly to regulatory entitlements, rather than broad fairness concerns, are more likely to succeed." [Gannon v. Hartford Life and Accident Ins. Co., No. 24-1955 (D. Conn. Oct. 3, 2025)]  MORE >>

11 pages. "The current study of 2015-2022 calendar years contains about 294 million life-years exposed and about 1.2 million claims over the study period. The results include analysis of claim incidence and can be used by actuaries in the management of their own group long-term disability business."  MORE >>

"When employees use their HSA regularly, they are more likely to contribute funds, which, in turn, increases tax savings for both employee and employer ... Despite that mutual benefit, many employers may not realize that their employees are not only frustrated with the HSA experience, but also leaving money on the table."  MORE >>

"As an employer, helping your team understand the full scope of HSA-eligible expenses can dramatically improve benefit utilization, boost employee satisfaction, and reinforce your commitment to holistic wellness. Empower your workforce today by educating them about the many unexpected items eligible for HSA spending."  MORE >>

"The NSA's arbitration system has generated $5 billion in total costs since 2022, including $2.24 billion in direct provider payments and $1.9 billion in internal costs. A flood of disputes has overwhelmed the system, creating a backlog of nearly 500,000 cases and pushing the median time for a decision to 81 days. Providers won 85% of disputes in 2024, but the benefits are highly concentrated, with just five organizations responsible for 59% of all claims."  MORE >>

"Achieving the full policy agenda will require cooperation from Congress, making it important for policy makers to understand the evidence underlying the proposals as well as specific ways in which the ideas could be operationalized.... [The authors] use existing research to analyze the prospects for each proposal to advance the EOs' objectives. [They] describe specific policies that could effectuate the proposals in the executive orders and summarize the evidence relating to their potential impact on drug prices and innovation."  MORE >>

"Whether the IRS can continue the pace of released guidance and meet its goal of accomplishing a significant number of PGP projects by the end of the plan year remains to be seen -- but the longer the shutdown continues, the harder it will be, particularly for projects outside the scope of OBBBA implementation."  MORE >>