On January 20, 2025, the Trump administration issued an executive order redefining the terms sex, gender identity, and related concepts as they pertain to federal law and policy. These changes will affect compliance requirements across various employee benefit provisions and related regulations. Key Provisions of the Executive Order Revised Definitions The Executive Order revised the […]
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Recent HIPAA Amendments and Proposed Regulations
In the last year, two significant HIPAA regulations were issued, impacting employer group health plans. This article summarizes the new rules – one under the privacy rule provisions and one under the security rule provisions – and what employers need to know about the current legal status of these rules and how to prepare for […]
Read moreNavigating Employer Leave under Federal FMLA and State Family and Medical Leave Programs
Employers are increasingly faced with the challenge of managing time-off policies amid a complex web of state, local, and federal laws – specifically the interplay between state paid family and medical leave (PFML) programs and the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). An opinion letter issued by the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage […]
Read moreReporting Rules Ease Employer ACA Compliance Obligations
Two new federal laws passed at the end of 2024 bring welcomed updates to benefit plan sponsors. Under the Employer Reporting Improvement Act (ERIA) and the Paperwork Burden Reduction Act (PBRA) plan sponsors are no longer required to distribute Forms 1095-B and 1095-C to all covered individuals. The laws also offer employers new protections related […]
Read more2025 RxDC Reporting Deadline
Since the passage of Section 204 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA), referred to as the No Surprises Act (NSA), employers have been required to submit annual prescription drug and health care spending data with the Prescription Drug Data Collection (RxDC) report. The RxDC report collects information about prescription drugs, spending on health care […]
Read moreWellness Works: Establishing Psychological Safety at Work
Have you ever hesitated to speak up at work because you weren’t sure how your ideas would be received? You may have held back a suggestion in a meeting or avoided bringing up a concern out of fear it might not be taken well. You’re not alone. Psychological safety is about sharing your thoughts without […]
Read moreThe Play-or-Pay Penalty and Counting Employees under the ACA
Since 2015, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has required applicable large employers (ALEs) to offer their full-time employees health coverage or pay one of two shared responsibility penalties (ESRP or “play-or-pay”). An employer is an ALE if it employs 50 or more full-time or full-time equivalent employees. Final IRS regulations provide guidance to help employers […]
Read moreFebruary 2025 Compliance Recap
The federal government in 2025 has is experiencing significant internal restructuring, workforce reductions, and communication restrictions across various departments. The results from the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services investigations into Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) enforcement have been shared. The IRS has eased regulations surrounding ACA reporting, Centers for […]
Read moreWebinar: Consolidated Appropriations Act in 2025
Tuesday, March 11, 2025 1 – 2PM CST Register Now Registration Code:UBA410EW Attend this month’s webinar to learn how the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) requirements impact all group health plans. Key Takeaways: Understand the key provisions of the CAA. Gain insight into the latest compliance obligations under the CAA, including new transparency rules, reporting requirements, […]
Read moreRising ERISA Class-Action Lawsuits over Tobacco Surcharges in Health Plans
READ TIME: 5 MINUTES A wave of ERISA class-action lawsuits is challenging tobacco surcharge programs in employer-sponsored health plans across the U.S. These cases center on potential fiduciary breaches, with plaintiffs arguing that surcharges added to tobacco users’ premiums are not compliant with federal laws such as the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the […]
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