Category: Employee Benefits
The Health Insurance Translator: Making Sense of Your Coverage
Navigating the healthcare system can often feel like trying to read a map in a language you don’t speak. Between the “alphabet soup” of acronyms—HMO, PPO, HSA—and the shifting rules of 2026 coverage, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed before you even step foot in a doctor’s office. However, health insurance literacy isn’t just about understanding…
Employee Benefits Compliance Brief May 2026
A New Era of Health and Welfare Fiduciary Litigation Health and welfare plan fiduciaries are entering a period of increased legal scrutiny. For many years, fiduciary litigation under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) focused primarily on retirement plans, and particularly on allegations of excessive fees involving 401(k) plans. More recently, however,…
Compliance Briefing | April
DOL Extends Comment Period on Proposed PBM Fee Disclosure Rule The Department of Labor (DOL) has announced a short extension to the comment period for its proposed rule on pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) compensation transparency. The rule is intended to strengthen disclosure requirements for PBMs and related service providers working with self-insured group health plans subject to…
Navigating Health Plan Options: A Quick Guide
Choosing a health insurance plan can feel a lot like solving a puzzle—there are many moving pieces, and the best fit depends on how they come together for your unique situation. With so many options and acronyms—HMO, PPO, POS, EPO, HDHP—it’s easy to feel unsure about where to start. This guide breaks down the most…
Guiding Better Benefit Decisions
Employees don’t experience their benefits all at once. They encounter them in moments — when a bill arrives, when a provider is chosen, or when an unexpected health issue surfaces. Yet, benefits communication is still heavily focused on enrollment, leaving employees without guidance when decisions are made. That gap can be costly. Over 60% of…
Educating Your Workforce: Unlocking the Power of Voluntary Benefits
Offering voluntary benefits is an excellent way to strengthen your overall benefits package, stand out from competitors, and enhance employee satisfaction—all with minimal impact on your budget. However, while employers often provide a wide range of voluntary benefits designed to offer value and convenience, many employees may not fully understand what these benefits are or…
Compliance Guide: New 2026 Rules for HSA Expansion
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was signed into law on July 4, 2025, introducing significant updates to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Following this, the IRS released Notice 2026-5 to provide specific guidance on how these changes expand HSA eligibility and usage. The OBBBA broadens HSA availability through the following key provisions: 1. Permanent…
Employee Benefit Trends for 2026
In our increasingly busy world, employee expectations are accelerating faster than ever before. A five-year-old benefits strategy simply cannot meet the complex, constant pressures workers face in 2026—be it financial stress, burnout, or caregiving responsibilities. The modern workforce is rejecting generic menus in favor of flexibility, strong financial support, and wellness options that align with…
How to Make the Most Out of Your HSA in 2026
A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a tax-advantaged savings account designed to help you pay for healthcare expenses. It offers valuable benefits now and in the future — from lowering your current healthcare costs to building long-term savings for retirement. Understand the Basics Triple Tax Advantage: HSAs provide three powerful tax benefits — contributions are…
The Future of Benefits: Integrating Health for a Thriving Workforce
The future of healthcare is rapidly evolving, with a clear trend toward integrating health interventions directly into employee benefits packages. As employers face rising healthcare costs—projected to increase by over 8% in 2025—they are rethinking how to deliver value to their workforce while managing expenses. This integration is reshaping not just what benefits are offered, but…