Just a few years ago, we were dealing with COVID and the balance of power between employees and employers....well...it was the employees' world. The battle for talent was on, and most employers were scratching at anything they could to attract and retain. Fast forward to 2026 and the pendulum has swung back the other way. But one thing has not changed: healthcare costs, which drive the costs of insurance, are still rising at a concerning rate. Employer health coverage keeps g

The IRS has released the 2027 health savings account (HSA) and high‑deductible health plan (HDHP) limits, with modest increases to contribution caps and updated minimum deductible and out‑of‑pocket thresholds. New 2027 HSA contribution limits For calendar year 2027, the HSA annual contribution limits tied to qualifying HDHP coverage are: Self‑only coverage: $4,500 (up from $4,400 in 2026). Family coverage: $9,000 (up from $8,750 in 2026). Catch‑up contribution for age 55+: an

Employers with MN-based W2 employees have about a month left to setup their state-mandated program. You can DIY it by using MN’s new DEED solution, which costs $0.88 of MN payroll, plus FICA. Orwe can shop all of the private solutions for you. 100% of our clients chose a private solutions, with some paying as little as $0.59 and others paying over $1.00 for the program. Announce it no later than Dec 1 internally. Claims can be filed starting 1/1/2026. Amend existing leave lan

Unlike the pandemic years, premiums are accelerating again. Double-digit increases are the norm for 2026. A recent KFF study reveals an average increase of 11% for 2026. That’s significantly more than inflation, and much higher than the average employer’s rate of growth. We’ve seen a few single-digit increases here - those employers are sadly called the lucky ones. On the other end of the spectrum, we’ve also seen increases over 95%. The chart below gives you an idea of the l

PTO + FMLA + State Leave + More...What Employers Need to Know (Without all of the Legal Jargon!) Big news from the U.S. Department of Lab...

Employees ultimately lost their Rx pricing lawsuits against their own Employers The Cases at a Glance Employers like...

CAA requires RxDC reports every June 1

This month the CEO of United Health Group's insurance subsidiary, United Health Care, was a victim of homicide in a story that has...

It’s been coming for a while now. Prepare to step up your I’m A Fixuciary game. It’s not just for breakfast - or retirement plans -...

The original ACA law included a poison pill. Once premiums hit a certain level - which they hit a few years back - employers and...

Nobody loves the phrase, “it’s that time of year again“ more than brokers and human resources leaders. Of course, they are referring to...

It's been a few months now for MN business. Effective Jan. 1, 2024, Minnesota’s earned sick and safe time law requires employers to...

The real reason employers might still be in the health insurance business, and why employees still expect "work" to provide their policies.

The June 27, 2023 PWFA rules passed and led to regulations issued by the EEOC which will go into effect sixty calendar days from April...

1099s serve a valuable purpose for employers. Not the least of which is a 30% savings compared to W2s. Since the 40s, the Feds have...

All hail Level Funding! What is it? It's a unique way for employers to finance their health insurance premiums. Not fully insured but...

A new provision in 2021 says employer-sponsored health plans and health insurance issuers are to report information about their Rx...

On 6-24-2022 Dobbs versus Jackson reversed Roe v Wade. The ruling states that the US constitution does not prohibit the citizens of each...

No. No it's not. It's not free at all. As an adult of a certain age, I finally gave in. It was quite a ride. And - spoiler alert - I...

EARNED SICK AND SAFE LEAVE is here. Effective January 2024, the new ESSL provisions do not preempt other local paid sick leave laws but...