"Previously, enrollment in a direct primary care service arrangement typically disqualified individuals from HSA contributions.... Now, qualifying direct primary care service arrangements (DPCSAs) are no longer treated as health plans for HSA eligibility purposes. This means you can be enrolled in both a high deductible health plan (HDHP) and a qualifying DPCSA while maintaining your ability to contribute to an HSA."  MORE >>

"Initially, the Court declined to certify the class on adequacy and commonality grounds. On a renewed motion, however, the Court found there was evidence that enough individuals had actually paid balance bills to satisfy numerosity and that the key questions in the case predominated over individual differences, making class certification appropriate." [L.D. v. United Behavioral Health, No. 20-2254 (N.D. Cal. Oct. 3, 2025)]  MORE >>

16 pages. "Approximately 1% of an employer's health plan members have annual claims higher than $100,000, but they account for 33% of total spend.... The proportion of claimants with annual costs exceeding $1M rose by more than 45% from 2022 to 2024, with the steepest growth among million-dollar claimants, particularly those exceeding $2M.... Only 21% of high-cost claimants (HCCs) persist year over year, increasing renewal uncertainty and complicating forecasting"  MORE >>

24 pages. "[T]his report outlines five key recommendations for employers designing sustainable GLP-1 coverage: [1] Establish clear, clinically driven eligibility pathways for GLP-1 coverage. [2] Require participation in behavior, nutrition, or lifestyle change programs as a condition of coverage. [3] Provide structured support for employees who choose to taper or discontinue GLP-1 therapy. [4] Review existing vendor capabilities before adding additional point solutions. [5] Contract with vendors to drive outcomes while examining overall program costs."  MORE >>

"Forward-thinking companies are beginning to view benefits through a new lens -- not focused solely on network accessibility, size or discounts, but on total cost of care.... Just as HDHPs ushered in a new era of consumerism by encouraging employees to weigh cost in their decisions, today's value-driven health plans build on that foundation -- offering smarter choices through transparency, incentives and guided navigation, without sacrificing access or quality."  MORE >>

"Data-driven well-being programs use employee data to personalize benefits that best fit their needs. By partnering with these vendors, leaders gain insights ... and match employees with the right resources at the right moment ... [A] platform might flag rising burnout risk and automatically recommend mental health coaching, suggest adjustments to workloads, or prompt managers to step in. Other data-driven tools can even guide employees to the most effective medical providers."  MORE >>

"California, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and five other states have set caps on health care spending in a bid to rein in the intense financial pressure felt by many families, individuals, and employers who every year face increases in premiums, deductibles, and other health-related expenses. Hospitals and other health care providers are citing Republicans' One Big Beautiful Bill Act ... as one more reason to challenge those limits."  MORE >>

"[O]ver one-third of consumers are very or extremely concerned about paying for long-term care services if they can no longer support themselves, and nearly three in five consumers say they need LTC insurance. ... 65% of consumers worry about becoming physically dependent on others. While solutions exist in the retail market, including stand-alone LTC insurance and hybrid life insurance policies, the workplace is also a great resource for working adults to start preparing for their potential long-term care needs."  MORE >>

"The Social Security Administration maintains the only federal database that insurers are required to periodically check for deaths. Issues with the database, however, have resulted in millions of families risking delayed or lost life insurance benefits."  MORE >>

"[W]ithout a thoughtful framework, paid sick leave, family and medical leave, short-term disability, and accommodation obligations intersect in ways that make leave management one of HR's most challenging tasks. Employers who treat leave reactively risk coverage gaps, compliance exposure, and frustrated employees.... Clear policies that are well-communicated and consistently applied are the antidote."  MORE >>

"Healthcare deal activity cooled off in 2025, but the sector is poised to bounce back next year driven by investments in artificial intelligence, an improved exit environment and policy shifts driving buyers to move quickly."  MORE >>

"Employer contributions must be made pursuant to a Code Section 128(c) Trump account contribution program. Requirements similar to requirements that apply to a dependent care assistance program (regarding discrimination, eligibility, notification, statements, and benefits) apply to a Trump account contribution program."  MORE >>