The Daily Brief for Benefits Professionals
BenefitsWire
Health & Welfare Plans
September 18, 2026
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7 items · ~2 min read
In this issue
Regulatory Action and Guidance (3) · Health & Welfare Plans (2) · Litigation (1) · Webinars (1)
Regulatory Action and Guidance
3 items“The US Department of Labor’s recent bulletin updates the Employee Benefits Security Administration’s enforcement priorities for nonquantitative treatment limitations under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act....” MORE >>
Source: Morgan Lewis
“On September 8, 2026, the Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) Employee Benefits Security Administration (“EBSA”) issued Field Assistance Bulletin (“FAB”) 2026-03, describing how it will prioritize enforcement of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (“MHPAEA”).1 After more than a year of regulatory uncertainty that left many stakeholders unsure about the direction of enforcement, the DOL has adapted its approach: rather than pursuing enforcement based on provisions of the 2024 Final Rule...” MORE >>
Source: Arnall Golden Gregory LLP
“On September 8, 2026, the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) of the Department of Labor (DOL) issued Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2026-03 (FAB), announcing its guiding principles for enforcement of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) nonquantitative treatment limitation (NQTL) requirements....” MORE >>
Source: Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP
Health & Welfare Plans
2 items“Employees managing these conditions lead to high overtime, an average of 10 missed a year and rising stress and depression levels. The real breakthrough will come when we stop treating mental health as a standalone benefit and start treating it as an essential part of how we care for people. A look at what's weighing on employees, the types of benefits and internal shifts that help, and the business impact of getting it right. Well-trained AI can steer benefit leaders and employees toward more tiered, less extreme solutions that improve medical and financial outcomes.” MORE >>
Source: Employee Benefit News
[General Benefits]
Employer-Sponsored Health Plans Could Receive Trillions in Federal Tax Subsidies Over Next Decade“The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently reported that under current federal income tax rules, employer-sponsored health plans could receive trillions in subsidies over the next decade. CBO analysts prepared the 2026 report with staff analysts from the congressional Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT). More specifically, the report states that these plans could be entitled to $6.6 trillion in subsidies over the next decade and $7.1 trillion over the next 11 years.” MORE >>
Source: Hall Benefits Law
Litigation
1 item“Reviewing the claim de novo, the court held that Plaintiff did not prove by a preponderance of the evidence that she remained totally disabled at the time Reliance terminated her benefits. For anyone navigating a group disability claim, the decision is a detailed study in how courts weigh a treating doctor’s contemporaneous records against a later opinion letter written to support the claim. What did Plaintiff have to prove under the ERISA plan? Plaintiff worked as a Research and Development Engineer for Medtronic, a role a vocational specialist classified as sedentary.” MORE >>
Source: Roberts Disability Law
Webinars
1 item"As health care costs continue to rise, an increasing number of employers are transitioning to self-funded health plans. Successfully negotiating the terms of a third-party administrator (TPA) agreement is essential—both for cost containment and for ensuring appropriate legal protections. In this session, Mary Powell and Sarah Kanter will examine key contractual provisions and offer practical guidance on the following topics." MORE >>
Source: Trucker Huss