The en banc Eleventh Circuit in Bolton v. Inland Fresh Seafood Corporation of America, Inc. overruled Mason v. Continental Group, Inc. “to the extent [Mason and its progeny] hold that ERISA itself requires exhaustion of statutory claims (including those alleging
A newly filed class action against Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company puts a spotlight on a common but often overlooked feature of administrative services only (ASO) agreements: “shared savings” fees that pay the third-party administrator (TPA) a percentage of
On September 17, 2026, the Second Circuit handed down a significant decision for self-insured group health plans, holding that the No Surprises Act (“NSA”) does not create a private right of action for out-of-network providers to enforce payment awards obtained
On September 8, 2026, the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) issued Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2026-03 (FAB 2026-03 or the Bulletin), announcing a focused enforcement policy for the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). At
Every few years, promoters resurface with new “double dip” health plan products promising employees more take‑home pay and employers big employment‑tax savings. The pitch is familiar: employees pay large pre‑tax “premiums” through a cafeteria plan, then receive substantial, “tax‑free” payments
On August 11, 2026, the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service published proposed regulations that, for the first time, provide comprehensive regulatory guidance on how to perform nondiscrimination testing for dependent care assistance programs (DCAPs) under Section 129 of the
Employer-sponsored group health plans are facing a growing wave of ERISA class action lawsuits, and the claims are getting bolder, including claims of “financial dominance”. In our previous post on this topic, we analyzed Barbich et al. v. Northwestern
On April 23, 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) announced settlements with four health entities following investigations into ransomware breaches that exposed unsecured electronic protected health information (“ePHI”). While ransomware enforcement
Artificial intelligence (“AI”) tools are increasingly being deployed across the employee benefits landscape: from claims administration and customer service to investment analysis and participant engagement. While these technologies promise efficiency and cost savings, recent litigation and regulatory activity underscore that
