The daily brief for benefits professionals.

Proposed Rules Would Update Long-Standing Electronic Disclosure Safe Harbors for Health and Welfare Plans

The Department of Labor recently issued proposed regulations that would implement sweeping revisions to long-standing electronic disclosure safe harbors for health and welfare plans.

Wheatley Discusses Rising Tobacco Surcharge Litigation with Modern Healthcare

Wheatley noted that plaintiffs have filed “more than 75 lawsuits against employers since 2024,” with new cases continuing to emerge, highlighting how litigation over tobacco surcharge wellness programs is becoming “a more mainstream issue.

No Surprises Act RARCs:  What Payers And Providers Need To Know

On July 17, 2026, the Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services, together with the Office of Personnel Management, issued guidance specifying the remittance advice remark codes (No Surprises Act RARCs) that group health plans and health insurance issuers (payers) must use when communicating with out-of-network providers and facilities relating to claims subject to the No Surprises Act (NSA). The guidance implements a requirement established in the Federal Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) Operations Final Rule, published June 4, 2026, and effective August 3, 2026.