As 2025 closes, several pressing compliance issues will shape your responsibilities in 2026. Updated PCORI fees, Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting obligations, state-level mandates, and new federal requirements such as gag clause attestations are all on the horizon.
As 2025 draws to a close, employers and benefits professionals face a shifting regulatory landscape that will shape health and welfare programs in 2026 and beyond. This year’s developments underscore the government’s dual priorities: expanding access, modernizing benefit delivery, and balancing compliance with practical flexibility. Below is a roundup of the most significant regulatory highlights.
Health benefit costs are projected to rise nearly 9% in 2026, putting significant pressure on employers to balance affordability with employee satisfaction. Against this backdrop, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a transformative tool in the benefits space.
Winter weather events are becoming less predictable, even in regions that don’t traditionally experience prolonged cold, ice, or snow. Sudden freezes, icy roadways, power disruptions, and rapidly changing forecasts can create significant challenges for school districts — often with little time to respond.
In 2025, personalization has moved from “nice to have” to “non-negotiable.” Employees expect benefits that reflect their individual needs, values, and life stages. Static, one-size-fits-all plans are being replaced by flexible, modular offerings that empower employees to choose what matters most.
In 2025, family-building support has emerged as a defining priority in employee benefits strategy. Fertility coverage, inclusive parental leave, and caregiving support are no longer niche offerings — they’re central to how employees evaluate workplace value. As life paths diversify and caregiving responsibilities expand, benefits managers are rethinking what it means to support the whole employee.
Employer-sponsored group health plans must submit their 2025 Gag Clause Prohibition Compliance Attestation (GCPCA) to CMS by December 31, 2025, to confirm compliance with federal transparency rules. This annual filing covers the 2024 calendar year and applies regardless of employer size or funding arrangement.
The Trump administration has issued a series of executive orders aimed at recalibrating federal oversight of employer-sponsored health plans. These directives target unpublished rules and agency enforcement priorities, signaling a shift toward deregulation and increased flexibility for plan sponsors.
Although we do our best at to keep the workplace safe, violence inflicted by an outsider or between employees remains a serious safety and health issue. It can occur inside or outside the workplace and can range from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and homicide. In fact, according to the United States Department of Labor, workplace violence is the fourth-leading cause of fatal occupational injury in our country.
Educators face unique professional exposures that go beyond standard general liability. That’s where Educators Legal Liability (ELL) coverage comes in. Understanding Educators Legal Liability is critical for school administrators, as it protects against claims related to employment practices, student rights, professional duties, and more. From wrongful termination to student disciplinary disputes, ELL can provide defense and indemnity for claims that other policies may exclude.
