Articles

The Transparency in Coverage rules require your health plan to post three machine-readable files every month. Most employers have no idea whether their vendor is actually doing it.

Self-funded employers owe a PCORI fee by July 31 each year, filed on IRS Form 720. The 2026 rate is $3.84 per covered life for calendar-year plans, and first-timers rarely see it coming.

Illinois SB3114, the Transparency in Downcoding Act, passed 59-0 and 111-0 and awaits the Governor's signature. Self-funded ERISA plans are exempt, but the law exposes a claims practice every employer should be auditing.

The CAA requires brokers to disclose all compensation before your renewal is signed. Most employers never ask for it, and that creates real fiduciary exposure.

Form 5500 is due July 31 for December 31 plan years. Here's the 60-day checklist self-funded employers need to gather Schedule H, C, and A data and coordinate with their TPA before the deadline.

The DOL flags Form 5500 filings using predictable patterns, including missing audits, late contributions, and missing participants. Here's what they're looking for in 2026.

Your broker may be earning indirect compensation from the carrier recommending your plan. Here are the specific red flags, compensation structures, and service failures that signal it's time to make a change.

The IRS penalty for a late Form 5500 is $250 per day, capped at $150,000. The DOL adds up to $2,529 per day with no cap. Here's what to do before July 31.

HR teams hear "Medicare" and assume the spouse gets 36 months of COBRA. The real answer depends on when Medicare started, when employment ended, and whether coverage was actually lost. Here's what the rules actually say.

There's no new law banning voluntary benefits. But four ERISA lawsuits filed in December 2025 are arguing many "voluntary" programs were never safely outside ERISA. Here's what the safe harbor actually requires and where employers are slipping.

The PCORI fee jumped to $3.84 per covered life for plan years ending in the 2025-2026 window. Here's a step-by-step guide to calculating covered lives and filing IRS Form 720 before the July 31, 2026 deadline.