According to Wellhub, a New York-based corporate wellness platform, a survey involving 1,500 CEOs earlier this year found that most CEOs recognized the benefits of workplace wellness programs. The survey respondents found the primary benefits of the program were increased productivity, elevated retention rates, and reduced healthcare costs for employees.
The survey revealed that around 80% of all CEOs acknowledged
Hall Benefits Law, LLC Blogs
Latest from Hall Benefits Law, LLC
11th Circuit Rules Health Plan’s Gender Care Exclusions Not Discriminatory
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit recently overturned the rulings of a federal district court and an Eleventh Circuit panel, finding that a Georgia health plan’s exclusion of coverage for gender-affirming health care violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The full appellate court ruled 7–5 that the exclusions were non-discriminatory because the plan made no
Lyft Pays $19.4 Million to NJ Attorney General’s Office for Driver Misclassification
The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office has announced that Lyft has paid off the $19.4 million it owed to the state for misclassifying drivers as independent contractors.
The dispute originated when Lyft drivers filed for unemployment and disability benefits, triggering an audit of the rideshare company’s records from 2014 to 2017 by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce
Trump Administration Targets PBM Reform to Lower Drug Prices
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (RFK), secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), appeared at a recent Senate Finance Committee hearing to review the current administration’s healthcare policy priorities. Although much of the hearing focused on RFK’s efforts to alter medical research priorities and vaccination policies, discussion on PBM reforms also occurred. More specifically, RFK stated that
SEC Fines Vanguard and Empower Over $25M for Inadequate Disclosures
Under recent settlements, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is requiring Vanguard Advisors and Empower Advisory Group and Financial Services to pay more than $25 million in fines and disgorgement. The move comes after allegations that they failed to properly disclose compensation for advisors enrolling clients in their managed account programs. The sums include $19.5 million in fines for
Federal Court Finds Exclusion of Gender-Affirming Surgery for Minors Violates ACA
Despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling in U.S. v. Skrmetti, a federal district court has ruled that a health plan excluding coverage for certain gender-affirming surgeries for some minors violated Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The court’s ruling, in large part, rests on the health plan’s coverage of mastectomies and breast reductions for minor males with
Colgate-Palmolive Reaches $332 Million Settlement in Pension Dispute
Colgate-Palmolive and its retirees are asking a federal court to approve a $332 million settlement in a class action lawsuit concerning the payout amounts of the former workers’ pensions. The settlement in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) case will bring the almost decade-long suit to a close. The case is McCutcheon et al. v. Colgate-Palmolive Co. et al.,
DOL Includes New PBM Rule in Regulatory Update
The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) recently used its regulatory update to announce several new rules, including a new fee disclosure rule concerning pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Characterized as a “high-priority” action for EBSA, the PBM fee disclosure rule would focus on direct and indirect compensation to further an executive order promoting drug price transparency.
Federal Judge Approves Blue Cross Blue Shield $2.8 Billion Antitrust Settlement
A federal judge has approved a $2.8 billion antitrust settlement between Blue Cross and Blue Shield carriers (“the Blues”) and healthcare providers. The settlement resolves the plaintiff healthcare providers’ claims that the Blues conspired to decrease provider payments. The final settlement, which the parties reached in October 2024, allows for about $657 million in attorneys’ fees and $102 million in
Employers Anticipate 10% Increase in 2026 Healthcare Costs
According to data from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP), which has 31,000 member employers, a 10% increase in healthcare costs is forecasted for next year. These figures have risen from the 8% increase that surveyed employers anticipated in 2025.
Catastrophic claims, costly specialty and prescription drugs, including GLP-1 injectable weight-loss medications and cancer drugs, and stagnant wage