Author: Scott Welch
Earlier this month, the IRS issued guidance on the health savings account (HSA) changes enacted as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). While the guidance does not significantly alter the provisions announced when the law was passed in July, it does provide helpful details on how the new rules will be applied ...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave employers a new pharmacy benefits worry Monday by approving a tablet version of Wegovy. Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer, said it plans to begin a full U.S. product launch for Wegovy tablets in early January. The introductory price for cash-pay patients will be $149 per month for a one-month ...
The Trump administration has unveiled yet another new payment model, this one focused on the cost of GLP-1 therapies. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Tuesday announced the Better Approaches to Lifestyle and Nutrition for Comprehensive hEalth, or BALANCE, model. The program seeks to make it easier for Medicare Part D plans and Medicaid ...
Federal agencies are hoping that they can make health plans’ price transparency reports easier to file and easier for ordinary computer users to use. The agencies are preparing to post new draft “Transparency in Coverage” program regulations Tuesday. The TiC reports are supposed to be public, and they are supposed to show what health insurers ...
Lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan bill that could apply Employee Retirement Income Security Act fiduciary requirements to employer health plans’ pharmacy benefit managers. The bill, the PBM Fiduciary, Accountability, Integrity and Reform Act, or PBM FAIR Act, would add a PBM fiduciary section to ERISA section 3(21), according to a version of the text posted by Sen. Roger ...
A key GOP senator is expressing optimism that Republicans and Democrats will agree to a deal that would extend expiring health care subsidies, but the effort faces an uphill climb in winning the backing of leaders in both parties. Without a deal, health insurance premiums are projected to spike by double digits next month, yet ...
With escalating medical and pharmacy costs as a primary motivator, employers are moving health care benefit cost-containment to the top of their overall priorities for 2026, according to a new survey. In last year’s edition of Brown & Brown’s Employee Health and Benefits Strategy report, employers ranked “attracting and retaining a healthy and engaged workforce” as ...
Texas and Alaska will receive the largest amount of funding from the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program in fiscal year 2026, while New Jersey and Connecticut will see the least, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Monday. All 50 states had submitted applications to the federal government in November outlining plans to improve ...
If the stress of the holidays wreaked havoc on your gut, you’re not alone — 76% of Americans experience gastrointestinal distress during the holiday season, according to a recent national survey from Oshi Health and YouGov. Digestive problems can be triggered not only by holiday overeating, but also by stress. Financial worries, disrupted routines, fatigue and interpersonal dynamics rank ...
The year 2025 was marked by major developments across health care, retirement, and corporate policy, shaping the landscape for employers, patients, and consumers alike. The health care sector saw significant shifts, including the rapid adoption of GLP‑1 weight‑loss therapies, which raised both hopes for long-term health improvements and concerns over rising pharmacy costs. Pharmaceutical distribution ...