"Employer sponsors of self-funded group health plans that are subject to [HIPAA] should take immediate action to revise and redistribute their HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP). For plan sponsors of fully insured group health plans, the NPP obligation is typically handled by the insurance carrier. But this NPP requirement does apply to plan sponsors of Medical Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Reimbursement Arrangements (because these are forms of self-funded group health plans).... The deadline to update and distribute the new NPP is February 16, 2026."  MORE >>

"New York's Department of Health (DOH) has posted the 2026 regional covered-lives assessment (CLA) rates and percentage surcharges for graduate medical education (GME) under the state's Health Care Reform Act (HCRA).... The GME CLA rates and percentage surcharges vary among eight regions, and the applicable rate depends on where the covered individual resides or receives in-state hospital care."  MORE >>

"[T]he New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA) ... now applies to much smaller employers, employees qualify far more quickly, reinstatement obligations are clarified and strengthened, and NJFLA is expressly coordinated with Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI), Family Leave Insurance (FLI), and New Jersey's statutory Earned Sick Leave. Paid leave and job protection are no longer separate conversations. They are one compliance system."  MORE >>

"[T]he ever-growing labyrinth of state and local paid leave laws, including paid sick leave and family and medical leave laws, continues to develop in 2026. Some states have expanded their existing leave provisions, while others are enacting wholly new leave programs. As paid leave requirements grow and change, so too do compliance difficulties and litigation risks for multijurisdictional employers. [This article provides] a summary of key developments in state and local leave laws, as well as states to watch as the year progresses."  MORE >>

"These novel lawsuits challenging voluntary benefits are not only notable for what they allege, but also because they implicate consultants and brokers.... [P]laintiffs may be leveraging data gathered regarding service provider compensation disclosed pursuant to the [CAA] ... [E]mployers should consider creating a process to monitor voluntary benefit programs offered to their employees, including the commissions charged by the various brokers, akin to what many employers maintain to monitor retirement plans and health plans."  MORE >>

"On a per capita basis, [national health expenditures (NHE)] increased by 6.5% in 2023 and 6.1% in 2024.... Of the 2024 per capita increase, 2.5 percentage points stemmed from price increases and 3.6 from the use and intensity of healthcare goods and services[.]"  MORE >>

"While the drugs may ultimately prove to be truly transformative for health, they are currently a net cost to the system. For a patient's care to 'break even,' the price of the drug would need to drop by 40% to 80%, or the patient would need to remain healthy and off the drug (without regaining weight) for many years, a scenario that current data on 'rebound weight gain' suggests is incredibly difficult to achieve."  MORE >>

"As of December 31, 2025, any person or entity, including hiring companies, platforms or individuals, can contribute funds to a contractor's portable benefits account without compromising the worker's independent contractor status.... [B]usinesses can deduct 100% of their contributions as a business expense....A 'portable benefit account' is a special account ... designed to let workers fund a variety of benefits, including: [1] Health insurance plans; [2] Income replacement or disability coverage; [3] Life insurance; [4] Retirement savings."  MORE >>