The Daily Brief for Benefits Professionals
BenefitsWire
Health & Welfare Plans · June 12, 2026
Expert Analysis
What’s Next In Health Plan Fee Litigation? Stern, Navarro II, and Lewandowski II
“On March 9, 2026, the Southern District of New York found that the plaintiffs in Stern v. JPMorgan Chase adequately alleged Article III standing regarding their overpayment for prescription drugs and plausibly alleged that their employer caused the health plan to engage in transactions prohibited by ERISA.”
Groom Law Group
Regulatory Action and Guidance
Inflation Adjustments Issued for HSAs, HRAs, and Direct Primary Care Service Arrangements (“DPCSAs”)
“Today, the IRS issued Revenue Procedure 2026-24, which provides inflation adjustments for Health Savings Accounts ("HSAs"), Excepted Benefit Health Reimbursement Arrangements ("HRAs"), and the relatively new Direct Primary Care Service Arrangements ("DPCSAs") for 2027.”
Groom Law Group
The Departments Issue Final IDR Operations Rule
“The Federal Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process has been strained by dispute volumes far exceeding original expectations and overwhelmingly favoring provider offers. These ongoing operational and policy challenges have increased plan and issuer costs and created opportunities for provider windfalls that put significant economic pressures on plans and issuers.”
Groom Law Group
Federal Independent Dispute Resolution Operations
“This site displays a prototype of a “Web 2.0” version of the daily Federal Register. It is not an official legal edition of the Federal Register, and does not replace the official print version or the official electronic version on GPO’s govinfo.”
Federal Register
Virginia Expands Paid Sick Leave Program to Cover Most Employees
“On May 20, 2026, Governor Spanberger signed SB 199/HB 5, a new statewide Paid Sick Leave ("PSL") program ("Act"). Virginia previously required PSL only for home health workers ... SB 199/HB 5 significantly expands coverage to nearly all employees in the Commonwealth.”
Groom Law Group
ERISA Litigation
Employer Groups Urge 8th Circuit to Review ERISA Case Class Certification
“The case, brought by employees, alleges Compass violated the Employee Retirement Income Security Act by charging tobacco users higher health insurance premiums without properly providing or disclosing alternatives that would allow participants to avoid the surcharge. ... The employer groups warned that allowing the class certification order in the Compass case to stand could encourage similar rulings across the country and increase settlement pressure on companies defending ERISA cases.”
PLANSPONSOR
City of Columbus et al. Challenge Provisions of the HHS 2027 Payment Notice Final Rule
“On June 3, 2026, plaintiffs City of Columbus et al. (including municipalities, local governments, and advocacy organizations) filed a complaint alleging that several policies in the HHS 2027 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters Final Rule (2027 Payment Notice Final Rule) are unlawful.”
Groom Law Group