The Daily Brief for Benefits Professionals
BenefitsWire
Health & Welfare Plans
October 12, 2026
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4 items · ~2 min read
Top of the Brief
Back on the To-Do List: What Plan Sponsors Need to Know About the New Transparency Rules“On October 6, 2026, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury issued a final rule that makes significant changes to the Transparency in Coverage requirements. The final rule is effective December 7, 2026, with many of the consumer disclosure changes applying for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2027. Although many plan sponsors have largely left Transparency in Coverage compliance to their Third Party Administrators (TPAs) or carriers, the final rule may require them to become more involved. For plan sponsors, one of the most significant changes under the new rule is an attestation requirement. Plan sponsors must attest, for each applicable machine-read”
In this issue
Regulatory Action and Guidance (1) · General Benefits (1) · Webinars (1) · Litigation (1)
Regulatory Action and Guidance
1 item“On October 6, 2026, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury issued a final rule that makes significant changes to the Transparency in Coverage requirements. The final rule is effective December 7, 2026, with many of the consumer disclosure changes applying for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2027. Although many plan sponsors have largely left Transparency in Coverage compliance to their Third Party Administrators (TPAs) or carriers, the final rule may require them to become more involved. For plan sponsors, one of the most significant changes under the new rule is an attestation requirement. Plan sponsors must attest, for each applicable machine-read” MORE >>
Source: Bricker Graydon
General Benefits
1 item“Download PDF Cybercriminals don’t discriminate by company size. 43% of cyberattacks target small and midsize businesses (“SMB”), and 88% of SMB breaches involve ransomware. The average data breach now costs US organizations $10.” MORE >>
Source: davisgilbertperks.com
Webinars
1 item“The ERISA litigation landscape continues to evolve as courts, regulators, and litigants shape new developments affecting employee benefit plans. Recent judicial decisions, agency activity, and enforcement trends are creating important considerations for plan sponsors, fiduciaries, and benefits professionals across both retirement and welfare plans. Join our ERISA litigation team for a timely discussion of notable developments impacting the benefits landscape. We will explore emerging trends, litigation risks, and practical considerations to help organizations understand the latest legal developments and prepare for what may lie ahead.” MORE >>
Source: Seyfarth (Beneficially Yours)
Litigation
1 item[General Benefits]
S.D. Cal.: ERISA Governs a “Voluntary” Supplemental Disability Policy, and the Benefits Claim Falls Short“In Whitlock v. Provident Life and Accident Insurance Company, No. 25-cv-0964-AGS-VET (S.D. Cal. Sept. 30, 2026), the Southern District of California confronted a recurring question for anyone with an employer-offered supplemental disability policy: when does ERISA control, even for coverage the employee pays for herself? On cross-motions for judgment under Rule 52, the court held that ERISA governed Plaintiff’s individual “top-up” disability policy, that the policy did not qualify for ERISA’s safe harbor, and that Plaintiff had not carried her burden of proving partial disability. The court granted judgment for the insurer and dismissed Plaintiff’s alternative state-law claims as preempted.” MORE >>
Source: Roberts Disability Law