Employee Benefits Report – May 2026

The New Wave of AI-Driven Benefits Administration: What Employers Need to Know in 2026

Artificial intelligence has been creeping into benefits administration for years, but 2026 marks the moment it becomes a defining force. Employers are adopting AI-powered tools not just to streamline enrollment or answer routine questions, but to reshape how employees navigate care, how plans are managed, and how compliance risks are monitored. Read on for details.

Chronic Condition Management 2.0: GLP-1 Alternatives and New Digital Therapeutics

Chronic conditions have long been the pri¬mary driver of employer healthcare spend¬ing, but 2026 marks a turning point in how organizations are approaching prevention, treat¬ment, and long-term management. With GLP-1 medications dominating headlines — and bud¬gets — employers are urgently exploring comple¬mentary or alternative strategies that can improve outcomes without unsustainable cost growth. Read on for details.

The Return-to-Office Reset: How Benefits Are Being Re-Engineered in 2026

After several years of experimentation, many employers are tightening hybrid schedules or requiring more in-office days. This “return-to-office reset” is reshaping benefits strategies as organizations look for ways to support commuting employees, improve onsite experience, and maintain flexibility. Read on for details.

Musculoskeletal (MSK) Costs Surge Again: What Employers Can Do

Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions remain one of the top cost drivers in employer health plans, and 2026 is shaping up to be another challenging year. Rising rates of chronic back pain, joint issues, and repetitive-strain injuries — combined with increased surgical utilization — are pushing MSK spending higher across all industries. Read on for details.

Insurance Buyers News – May/ June 2026

The Great Divergence: Why Property Is Softening While Liability Keeps Getting Harder

The commercial insurance market is entering a new phase—one defined not by a single trend, but by a widening split between property and casualty lines. For the first time in several years, businesses are seeing meaningful relief in parts of their insurance programs while facing continued pressure in others. Read on for details.

Commercial Auto Losses Keep Rising — What Businesses Can Do Now

Commercial auto continues to be one of the most challenging lines of insurance for U.S. businesses, and 2026 is shaping up to be no exception. While property insurance is finally showing signs of relief, commercial auto remains stubbornly unprofitable for insurers. Read on for details.

Valuations Under the Microscope: Why Accurate Property Values Matter More Than Ever

Even as parts of the property insurance market begin to stabilize, one issue remains firmly in the spotlight: property valuations. Carriers are scrutinizing reported values more aggressively than at any time in the past decade. For businesses preparing 2026 renewals, accurate valuations are no longer just a best practice—they are a prerequisite for securing competitive terms. Read on for details.

Nuclear Verdicts: How Social Inflation Is Reshaping Liability Claims

Liability claims are becoming more expensive across the country, and one of the biggest drivers is the rise of “nuclear verdicts”—jury awards that exceed $10 million. These outsized judgments, once rare, have become increasingly common in cases involving bodily injury, commercial vehicles, and allegations of corporate negligence. Read on for details.

Employee Benefits Report – April 2026

The 2026 Specialty Drug Surge Part 2: How Employers Are Rewriting Their Pharmacy Strategies

Specialty drugs have been a major cost driver for years, but 2026 marks a turning point in both scale and urgency. … specialty medications are projected to account for more than 60% of total pharmacy spending this year. Read on for details.

Mental Health Parity Enforcement Part 2: A New Compliance Reality for Employers

Mental health parity has been a compliance requirement for more than a decade, but 2026 marks a decisive shift in how aggressively federal agencies are enforcing it…regulators expect detailed documentation, transparent processes, and clear evidence that mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) benefits are administered on equal terms with medical and surgical benefits. Read on for details.

Financial Wellness and Household Stability: Why Employers Are Making It a 2026 Priority

For years, employers focused their wellbeing strategies on physical and mental health. But in 2026, a different force is reshaping workforce stability: financial stress. Read on for details.

Rising Healthcare Costs and Affordability Pressures

Healthcare costs are rising at their fastest pace in more than a decade, and employers are feeling the strain. After an 8% jump in 2025, medical plan costs are projected to climb another 9–10% in 2026, driven by higher hospital prices, specialty drug spending, and increased demand for behavioral health services. Read on for details.

Employee Benefits Report – March 2026

The 2026 Specialty Drug Surge: What Employers Need to Prepare For

Specialty drugs have been a major cost driver for years, but 2026 marks a significant shift in both scale and urgency. With GLP 1 medications expanding into new indications, gene therapies entering the market at record pace, and oncology drugs continuing to rise in both cost and utilization, specialty medications are projected to account for more than 60% of total pharmacy spending this year. Read on for details.

The New Era of Mental Health Parity Enforcement in 2026

Regulators Are Increasing Scrutiny

Federal agencies have made mental health parity enforcement a top priority in 2026, and employers sponsoring group health plans are feeling the impact. Regulators are no longer satisfied with high level assurances that plans comply with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). Read on for details.

The Return of Onsite and Near Site Clinics in 2026

A Shift Back Toward Local Care

After several years of virtual first care, onsite and near site clinics are making a strong comeback in 2026. Employers are rediscovering the value of providing convenient, high quality care directly to employees — and in many cases, their families.
Read on for details.

Voluntary Benefits in 2026: Expanding Choice Without Raising Costs

Voluntary benefits continue to gain momentum in 2026 as employers look for ways to expand support without increasing core medical plan costs. Employees are seeking more personalized options, and voluntary benefits offer a flexible way to meet diverse needs Read on for details.

Insurance Buyers News – March/ April 2026

Commercial Insurance Outlook 2026: Property Finds Its Footing, Casualty Splits, Auto Deteriorates

As 2026 gets underway, commercial insurance buyers are navigating a marketplace that looks markedly different from the broad, relentless increases of the past several years. The story now is one of stabilization in commercial property, divergence across casualty lines, and continued deterioration in commercial auto. Read on for details.

Cyber Insurance Market Stabilizes as Security Controls Improve

After several years of sharp rate increases and tightening underwriting standards, the cyber insurance market is finally showing signs of stabilization. As more organizations adopt stronger cybersecurity controls … underwriters are gaining confidence that insureds are better equipped to prevent, detect, and contain cyber incidents. Read on for details.

Large Liability Claims Push Companies to Reevaluate Limits

The liability landscape has shifted dramatically over the past decade, and 2026 is proving no exception. As nuclear verdicts grow larger and social inflation continues to accelerate claim severity, many businesses are taking a hard look at whether their current liability limits are still adequate. Read on for details.

What Underwriters Look for in Cyber Submissions

As the cyber insurance market stabilizes, underwriters are placing greater emphasis on the quality and clarity of each submission. Strong cybersecurity controls can lead to better pricing, broader coverage, and more predictable renewals — but only when they are well‑documented. For 2026 renewals, businesses should understand the key elements underwriters evaluate. Read on for details.

Employee Benefits Report – February 2026

2026 Compliance Update: More on Last Month’s Key Regulatory Changes

In our January issue, we outlined the major compliance themes shaping 2026. This month, we build on that foundation with a deeper look at the annual updates, effective dates, and action steps employers need as the new year begins. Read on for details.

How Employers Are Responding to Rising Employee Expectations in 2026

Over the past two months, several major surveys — including the 2025 SHRM Employee Benefits Survey, the ADP TotalSource Employee Benefits Survey, and the 2025 National Benefits Survey — have painted a clear picture: employees are demanding more meaningful, more personalized, and more supportive benefits than ever before. Employers, facing a tight labor market and rising competition for talent, are responding by reshaping their benefits strategies around five core themes. Read on for details.

Telehealth in 2026: How Virtual Care Is Transforming Access, Quality, and Cost

Telehealth has moved far beyond the video visit boom of the pandemic. In 2026, virtual care is becoming a core component of the U.S. healthcare system — improving access, reducing administrative burden, and lowering costs for employers and employees alike. New technologies, expanded reimbursement, and AI driven tools are reshaping how care is delivered across specialties. Read on for details.

What the Latest Surveys Reveal About Employee Expectations

Recent national surveys offer a clear, numbers driven picture of what employees value most — and where employers are investing to stay competitive. Here are the most significant findings, grouped by survey. Read on for details.

Employee Benefits Report – January 2026

Compliance Updates for 2026

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. Read on for details.

AI Powered Benefits Solutions: Navigating Rising Costs in 2026

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. By personalizing offerings and automating administration, AI promises to reduce costs while enhancing the employee experience. Read on for details.

Health & Welfare Benefits Year End Roundup: 2025 Regulatory Highlights

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. Read on for details.

Judicial and Legislative Developments in Employee Benefits: Year End 2025

As 2025 closes, employers face not only regulatory updates but also judicial decisions and legislative shifts that will influence benefit plan design in 2026. Mayer Brown’s year end advisory highlights several developments that deserve attention from plan sponsors and fiduciaries. Read on for details.

Insurance Buyers News – January / February 2026

Rate Trends in Commercial Insurance: Property Stabilizes, Casualty Splits, Auto Struggles

As 2026 begins, commercial insurance buyers are encountering a marketplace that looks very different from the relentless rate hikes of recent years. The story now is one of stabilization in property insurance, divergence in casualty lines, and continued challenges in commercial auto. Read on for details.

Regional Catastrophes,National Lessons

The year 2025 was one of the costliest on record for insured catastrophe losses. California wildfires and Gulf Coast hurricanes alone drove insured losses exceeding $100 billion globally, with U.S. events accounting for more than 90%. Read on for details.

Regulatory Priorities for 2025:
Resilience, Solvency, and Innovation

In 2025, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) outlined a set of federal legislative and regulatory priorities designed to strengthen the U.S. insurance system. These priorities — resilience, solvency, and innovation — reflect the challenges facing insurers and policyholders alike in a rapidly changing risk environment.
Read on for details.

Liability Limits and Large Loss Trends

The liability insurance landscape is shifting rapidly, and the changes are being felt across industries. Chubb’s 2025 benchmark report highlights a clear trend: escalating jury awards and higher liability limits are reshaping how businesses must think about their exposure to risk. Read on for details.

Employee Benefits Report – December 2025

Personalization Now a Baseline Expectation in Employee Benefits

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. Read on for details.

Fertility, Family Planning, and Parental Leave Are Front and Center

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. Read on for details.

Retirement Confidence Is Low — and Plan Design Matters

In 2025, retirement readiness remains one of the most quietly urgent concerns among employees. While many workers feel confident about covering short-term expenses, long-term financial security is far less certain. The gap between confidence and clarity is widening — and benefits managers are being called to bridge it. Read on for details.

Wellness Programs Must Prove Their Value

In 2025, wellness programs are under the microscope. Once celebrated as feel-good perks, they’re now expected to deliver measurable impact — not just participation rates. Employers want to know: Are these initiatives improving health outcomes, reducing absenteeism, and lowering healthcare costs? Read on for details.

Employee Benefits Report – November 2025

Compliance Update: Gag Clause Attestations, Contraceptive Coverage Ruling, and SF Ordinance Impacts

As Q4 begins, benefits managers face a trio of compliance developments with implications for plan design, documentation, and year-end filings. Two are federal in scope, while one local ordinance continues to affect employers nationwide. Read on for details.
 

LIMRA Research: Broker Role Expanding as Strategic Benefits Advisors

New research from LIMRA reveals a significant shift in how employers engage with benefits brokers. Once viewed primarily as transactional intermediaries, brokers are now increasingly relied upon for consultative support—especially in the areas of plan design, cost containment, and digital tools.
Read on for details.

Benefits Administration Update: MLR Rebates, Texas SB 1332, and Year-End Priorities

As the final quarter of 2025 begins, several developments in benefits administration are reshaping how employers manage compliance, coverage, and communications. From rebate distribution rules to state-level legislation, benefits managers should take note of key updates that may affect plan operations and documentation heading into year-end. Read on for details.

Compliance & Coverage Clarifier: Gag Clauses and Contraceptive Rules

As year-end compliance tasks ramp up, two areas of regulatory scrutiny deserve closer attention: gag clause attestations and recent changes to contraceptive coverage exemptions. Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, employer-sponsored health plans must attest by December 31, 2025 that they do not include “gag clauses” in contracts with third-party administrators or provider networks. But what exactly qualifies? Read on for details.