DOJ Issues DEI Guidance for Federal Funding Recipients On July 29, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a memorandum to recipients of federal funding to provide guidance on unlawful diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. The guidance clarifies the application of federal antidiscrimination laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act [...]
Federal Court Pauses New Restrictions on ACA Marketplace Enrollment On Aug. 22, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland paused several key portions of a final rule imposing stricter enrollment and eligibility standards for the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Marketplaces (or Exchanges). Many of the new standards were scheduled to take [...]
FTC Dismisses Noncompete Ban Appeal On Sept. 5, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted to dismiss its appeals in two legal challenges of the FTC’s 2024 final rule to prohibit employers from using noncompete clauses with most employees. In 2024, the FTC appealed two separate court rulings regarding the noncompete ban, including one [...]
Key Year-end Disclosure Deadlines for Group Health Plans Key Year-end Disclosure Deadlines for Group Health Plans As the end of the calendar year approaches, employers that sponsor group health plans must ensure timely compliance with several federal reporting and disclosure requirements. These obligations, mandated under various federal laws, including the Employee Retirement Income Security [...]
Medicare Part D Notices Are Due Before Oct. 15, 2025 Each year, Medicare Part D requires group health plan sponsors to disclose to individuals who are eligible for Medicare Part D and to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) whether the health plan’s prescription drug coverage is creditable. Plan sponsors must provide [...]
New Order Directs Federal Agencies to Expand 401(k) Investment Options On August 7, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order titled Democratizing Access to Alternative Assets for 401(k) Investors. The order directs federal agencies to review existing guidance regarding alternative investments in 401(k) and other defined-contribution retirement plans and instructs them to take [...]
ACA Pay-or-Play Changes May Impact Employers in 2026 The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires applicable large employers (ALEs) to offer affordable, minimum-value (MV) health coverage to their full-time employees (FTEs) or risk paying a penalty. This employer mandate provision is known as the “employer shared responsibility” or “pay-or-play” rules. An ALE is only liable [...]
Oct. 15 Deadline Approaching for Part D Notices and Form 5500 Extensions As a reminder, the deadline to distribute Part D notices and the extended Form 5500 filing deadline for calendar year plans is Oct. 15, 2025. This deadline applies to employers with group health plans that provide prescription drug coverage and those with [...]
Consumer Price Index: Medical Care The consumer price index (CPI) is an economic indicator widely used to gauge inflation and inform policymaking, investment decisions and cost-of-living adjustments. The CPI’s medical care index, one of eight major groups in the CPI, measures the change in prices paid by consumers for medical goods and services. The [...]
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