In this episode, Chase Cannon and Suzanne Spradley review a recent DOL announcement that outlines the agency’s enforcement priorities for group health plans. Chase provides some background on DOL enforcement and the DOL’s efforts to increase employee benefit plan compliance, address abusive practices, and protect the rights of participants and beneficiaries. Chase and Suzanne go deeper on four of the priorities, including mental health parity, cybersecurity, abuse of contributory benefit plans, and surprise billing, including important takeaways for employers to consider going forward.

In this episode, Chase Cannon and Suzanne Spradley discuss a recent wave of litigation centered on ERISA’s fiduciary obligations for health and welfare plan sponsors. Suzanne begins with an explanation of the lawsuits and how the voluntary benefit plan exception from ERISA is core to the lawsuit allegations. Suzanne and Chase continue with a close look at the exception and the criteria employers should consider to meet the exception. The two close with a discussion on employer takeaways for ERISA fiduciary and voluntary plan exception purposes.

In this episode, Chase Cannon and Suzanne Spradley discuss recently released guidance on fertility benefits. Chase provides the background on how employers might be able to offer fertility benefits as “excepted” or “independent, non-coordinated" benefits, which may ease some compliance burdens. Suzanne and Chase discuss the cost aspects of fertility benefits and how an excepted benefit Health Reimbursement Arrangement could potentially help provide a benefit vehicle for employers. The two finish the episode talking about how employers should stay tuned for additional guidance on developing a compliant fertility benefit plan offering.

In this episode, Chase Cannon and Suzanne Spradley discuss recent and noteworthy guidance from the IRS despite the federal government shutdown. Chase and Suzanne dive into the recently announced IRS inflation-adjusted amounts for benefits-related items in 2026 and their impact on employer plans. The podcast winds down with a discussion on what employers should consider and a preview of the next podcast topic: fertility benefits.

In this episode, Suzanne Spradley and Chase Cannon discuss a September 2025 presidential announcement regarding tariffs on pharmaceutical products. Suzanne provides some background on the announcement and what it might mean for the U.S. and other countries. Suzanne and Chase explore the potential benefits and drawbacks of a new website relating to prescription drugs. Suzanne closes the podcast by outlining the potential impact on employer-sponsored group health plans and drug plans.

In this episode, Chase Cannon and Suzanne Spradley discuss a few HIPAA lessons that employers can glean from recent Health and Human Services (HHS) enforcement settlements. Chase begins with an outline of HIPAA’s obligations in the group health plan context and HHS enforcement trends. Chase and Suzanne discuss three different cases that resulted in monetary penalties, highlighting the importance of responding timely to participant requests for their personal information, running a risk assessment on internal systems, and protecting against and timely responding to cyberattacks and other breaches. The podcast winds down by highlighting the top five issues seen in HHS enforcement cases in recent years and includes a short discussion of NFP resources that can assist employers in complying with HIPAA.

In this episode, Suzanne Spradley and Carol Wood discuss the role of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and the recent proliferation of state laws that regulate PBMs. Next, Suzanne explains how these state PBM laws interact with federal laws, which are supreme. Suzanne reviews ERISA preemption and the U.S. Supreme Court Rutledge case, and how state lawmakers continue to test the boundaries of their authority with PBM legislation. The conversation then turns to a controversial Arkansas PBM law and the related litigation that has gained national attention. Suzanne and Carol end by providing employer takeaways and explaining why it’s important for employers to continue to monitor developments in this complex benefits area.

In this episode, Suzanne Spradley and Chase Cannon discuss the No Surprises Act (NSA) and its impact on out-of-network (OON) billing, with the independent dispute resolution (IDR) process at its core. Suzanne starts with an outline of the NSA and OON billing, how surprise bills arise, and how the IDR process is meant to help with carrier and provider disputes on bill payment amounts. Suzanne and Chase discuss CMS’s involvement and the data gathered, shedding light on how IDR entities are selected, how disputes are handled, who’s winning, and the amounts being paid. The two close with a discussion of the fairness of the process and the impact on healthcare costs for employers and their group health plans.

In this episode, Suzanne Spradley and Chase Cannon break down the Senate’s version of the One Big Beautiful Bill, released on June 16, 2025. Suzanne outlines the budget reconciliation process and how the so-called “Byrd Rule” comes into play. Suzanne and Chase discuss the similarities and differences between the House and Senate versions of this bill and how the two can align on those differences. Suzanne outlines one major difference relating to the Senate’s exclusion of certain benefit-related provisions (HRA/CHOICE/ICHRA amendments and HSA expansions and flexibilities, to name a few) that were in the House’s version. Suzanne and Chase conclude with thoughts on what employers can expect in the coming weeks as the legislative process plays out.

In this episode, Chase Cannon and Suzanne Spradley outline the latest proposed bill from the U.S. House of Representatives, potentially up for a vote in the coming weeks. Chase outlines a key element missing from the proposed bill ‒ caps, cuts, or elimination of the so-called employer tax exclusions for health insurance ‒ and explains why it’s important for employer health plan sponsors. Chase and Suzanne spend the rest of the episode describing potential changes to HSAs and HRAs, including flexibility with HSA eligibility, increases on HSA contribution limits, and a new vehicle (called a “CHOICE arrangement”) for reimbursing an employee’s individual policy premium.