The Daily Brief for Benefits Professionals
BenefitsWire
Health & Welfare Plans
June 30, 2026
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18 items · ~6 min read
In this issue
Regulatory Action and Guidance (7) · Litigation (1) · General Benefits (9) · Press Releases (1)
Regulatory Action and Guidance
7 items“IRS Notice 2025-61 adjusts the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee to $3.84 per covered individual for health plan years ending on or after October 1, 2025 and before October 1, 2026, including 2025 calendar plan years. This represents a 37-cent increase from last year's $3.47 PCORI fee. ... The annual PCORI fee must be reported and paid to the IRS by July 31, 2026, via the second quarter Form 720 (Rev. June 2026). ... The employer is responsible for paying the PCORI fee for self-insured health plans. Self-insured plans include level funded plans.” MORE >>
Source: Newfront
“Maximum annual HSA contributions will rise from $4,400 to $4,500 for those with self-only insurance coverage, and from $8,750 to $9,000 for those with family coverage. Minimum deductible amounts for qualifying high deductible health plans will increase from $1,700 for self-only coverage to $1,750, and from $3,400 to $3,500 for a family plan. Maximum out-of-pocket amounts under self-only coverage will rise from $8,500 to $8,700, and from $17,000 to $17,400 for family coverage.” MORE >>
Source: Ascensus
“IRS Notice 2026-5 implements four OBBBA HSA changes: (1) permanent retroactive first-dollar telehealth safe harbor from 2025 forward, limited to services on the Medicare telehealth list; (2) bronze and catastrophic Exchange plans treated as HDHPs starting 2026; (3) qualifying Direct Primary Care Service Arrangements (DPCSAs) no longer disqualify HSA eligibility starting 2026, capped at $150/month individual; and (4) DPCSA fees are reimbursable from HSAs. Employer-paid DPCSA fees (including salary reduction) are not HSA-reimbursable.” MORE >>
Source: hubinternational.com
“The Supreme Court held 6-3 that Congress may not restrict the President's power to remove members of so-called independent executive agencies, overruling Humphrey's Executor v. United States. ... The FTC Act's removal restrictions violate the separation of powers and Humphrey's Executor is overruled.” MORE >>
Source: Gibson Dunn
“Virginia is the first state since 2023 to enact a law (2026 Chs. 981/1093, SB 2/HB 1207) establishing a mandatory paid family and medical leave (PFML) insurance program. By October 1, 2027 (and annually thereafter), the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) will set the contribution rate, based on wages and capped at the Social Security taxable wage base (SS Max). Contributions — evenly split between employers and employees, with an exception for certain small employers — will start on April 1, 2028. Benefits will first become available on December 1, 2028.” MORE >>
Source: Mercer
“SB26-093 requires that applicants for building or construction permits related to projects costing greater than $1 million file a signed declaration verifying that all people working under the permit — including subcontractors — have valid workers' compensation insurance coverage during the entire duration of the permit. The CDLE Division of Workers' Compensation is authorized to investigate complaints of alleged violations. Construction employers should take immediate action to confirm coverage documentation and subcontractor compliance to prevent any liability or construction delays.” MORE >>
Source: Faegre Drinker
“Section 6224 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (CAA, 2026), restricts PBMs and their affiliates to receiving only "bona fide service fees" (BFSFs) in connection with covered Part D drugs beginning in 2028. ... PBMs must also file annual data reports covering drug costs, enrollee out-of-pocket spending, direct and indirect remuneration (DIR), pharmacy reimbursement, and retained PBM revenue. CMS must define the key terms that determine how far these requirements reach.” MORE >>
Source: frierlevitt.com
Litigation
1 item“66 Franklin Street, Suite 300 Oakland, CA 94607 In Williams v. Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC Benefits and Investment Committee, No. 24-cv-07593-VC, 2026 WL 1865363 (N.” MORE >>
Source: Roberts Disability Law
General Benefits
9 items[Expert Analysis]
GLP-1 Bridge Program Goes Live as IRA Rebate Collapse Squeezes PBMs and Hospitals – Healthcare Policy: Drug Pricing, IRA & Managed Care – Week of June 27, 2026“On NEJM Interviews (June 24), Vanderbilt health-policy professor Stacie Dusetzina detailed the new program that covers GLP-1s for weight loss outside Part D at roughly $50/month versus ~$350 cash. The broader "Balance" demonstration is on hold because Part D plan sponsors weren't interested in participating; Bridge now sunsets end of 2027 with "not currently a plan to launch the Balance model," and Dusetzina warned it "could have some upward pressure on the premiums in the Medicare Part B program.” MORE >>
Source: MatterFact
[Expert Analysis]
Nearly Four Million Medicare Beneficiaries Could Be Eligible for the Temporary Medicare GLP-1 Bridge Program Covering These Drugs for Weight Loss“A new KFF analysis finds that 3.8 million Medicare beneficiaries met the criteria to be eligible for the new Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, based on claims data from 2023.” MORE >>
Source: KFF
[Expert Analysis]
Retirement benefits, hybrid work lose ground as employers cut costs“Companies are scaling back retirement benefits and flexible work options as economic uncertainty persists and employers reassess workplace strategies in the age of AI.” MORE >>
Source: Employee Benefit News
[Expert Analysis]
With the EEOC Poised to End EEO-1 Reporting, What’s Next for Employers?“On May 14, 2026, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) submitted a proposed rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) to end mandatory EEO-1 reporting requirements under Title VII for (a) private sector employers with 100 or more employees and (b) federal contractors with more than 50 employees. ... The proposed rule will likely take weeks, potentially months, in OIRA review; OIRA has up to 90 days (until August 12, 2026) to complete its review.” MORE >>
Source: Foley & Lardner
“President Donald Trump nominated Acting Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling to permanently head the Department of Labor via a social media post on Monday. ... Sonderling needs Senate approval to remain in the post permanently, and his nomination will proceed through the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. ... If confirmed, Sonderling would continue to lead the DOL's efforts to oversee the country's workforce and advance several administration priorities, including a heavily watched rule often referred to as the alternative investments rule, which provides a legal framework for fiduciaries to consider when selecting any investment for retirement plans they oversee.” MORE >>
Source: PLANADVISER
“The president plans to nominate Keith Sonderling — a Republican with several years of agency experience — to serve as secretary of labor, according to a Monday social media post. Sonderling, who was previously deputy secretary, took the helm as acting secretary after Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned in April amid reports of an investigation into potential misconduct. ... In Sonderling's time at DOL, he has voiced support for employer-friendly regulations and programs that encourage employers to perform self-audits, report employment law violations and take corrective action.” MORE >>
Source: HR Dive
“Under the FAIRNESS Act—the acronym stands for "Forging American Independence, Restoring National Exceptionalism Safely and Securely"—it is unlawful for an "employer" (defined as any person, including an agent, that employs employees in Indiana) to knowingly or intentionally recruit, hire, or continue to employ an "unauthorized alien" on or after July 1, 2026. ... Notably, the FAIRNESS Act, codified at Indiana Code 22-5-9, provides a safe harbor. An employer is not in violation if it engaged in "reasonable diligence" before recruiting, hiring, or continuing to employ the individual.” MORE >>
Source: Ogletree Deakins
“Tom loves to travel, and since his wife Bridget was an international flight attendant for Delta, he enjoys extensive travel courtesy of Delta.” MORE >>
Source: Bricker Graydon
“President Trump on Monday announced in a social media post that he will nominate Keith Sonderling to be the next Secretary of Labor. Sonderling has been serving as Acting Labor Secretary since April, after then-Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned following allegations of misconduct and other improprieties. ... Sonderling will have to go through the nomination process once again, but he was previously confirmed by the U.S. Senate in March 2025 to be Deputy Secretary of Labor, which is the second highest-ranking official at the DOL.” MORE >>
Source: American Retirement Association
Press Releases
1 item“President Donald Trump said Monday on Truth Social he will nominate Keith Sonderling to be the Secretary of Labor, elevating him from the agency's acting director two months after Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned from the position amid abuse-of-power allegations. ... Sonderling's nomination is subject to Senate confirmation. He was previously confirmed by the Senate on March 12, 2025, to be the 38th United States Deputy Secretary of Labor, and on April 20, 2026, was designated by President Donald J. Trump as the Acting Secretary of Labor following Chavez-DeRemer's resignation.” MORE >>
Source: 401(k) Specialist
Also of Note
- CAA 2026 PBM Reforms: Federal Law Mandates 100% Rebate Pass-Through and Expanded Transparency Disclosures — “The new federal PBM reforms are effective for plan years beginning on or after 30 months from the date of the CAA 2026's enactment.” (Newfront)
- Federal PBM Transparency and Rebate Pass-Through Requirements: H.R. 7148 and DOL Proposed Rules Explained — “H.R.” (Hub International)
- One Big Beautiful Bill Act: Key Employee Benefits Changes Effective 2026—HSA, DPC, Dependent Care FSA, and OBBBA Implementation — “The OBBB now provides permanent relief allowing HDHPs to provide first-dollar telehealth and other remote care services.” (Newfront)
- HIPAA Enforcement Action Against Self-Funded Group Health Plan: $245,000 Settlement for Ransomware Breach and Missing Risk Analysis — “In January 2026, HHS OCR reached a $245,000 Resolution Agreement and two-year Corrective Action Plan with Star Group, L.” (hubinternational.com)
- Eighth Circuit Holds ERISA Preempts Arkansas’s Geographic Pharmacy Network Adequacy Requirements, Affirming Dismissal of Plan Participant’s Unjust Enrichment Class Action — “F.4th —-, 2026 WL 1859929 (8th Cir.” (Roberts Disability Law)
- Navigating Compliance Challenges in Employee Benefit Plans: Practical Insights and Case Studies — “Under SECURE 2.0, the DOL introduced a self-correction program for modest late contributions.” (Hall Benefits Law)
- Fair Workweek laws make workers’ lives better without wage or benefit cuts, analysis shows — “Fair Workweek laws are doing what they promised: giving service-sector workers more predictable schedules and more rest between shifts, without cutting their pay or benefits," Daniel Schneider, the Malcolm Wiener Professor of Social Policy at Harvard Kennedy School and co-director of the Shift Project, said in a statement.” (HR Dive)
- Recent Changes to Indiana Annexation Law — “New changes have been made to Indiana’s annexation notice requirements and contiguity guidelines under SEA 59 and HEA 1058, along with updated disannexation GIS reporting requirements under Sections 233 and 234 of HEA 1210.” (Frost Brown Todd)
- Cost and Utilization of Inpatient Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment — “Inpatient treatment for mental health and substance use accounted for 10% of total commercial inpatient stays in 2023 (or 32 per 10,000 enrollees).” (KFF)
- Financial guidance in the workplace: It's all in the family — “When these questions go unresolved, anxiety among employees can rise, undermining engagement, retention and long-term financial security.” (Employee Benefit News)