Insights

Few forces are as unpredictable and potentially destabilizing as tariffs in construction insurance coverage. With material costs fluctuating and trade policies shifting rapidly, contractors and owners are forced to make real-time adjustments to budgets, schedules and risk strategies. The tariff impact on construction is far-reaching. It disrupts supply chains, increases premiums and challenges underwriting standards across multiple construction insurance options. These pressures prompt closer s

Join Diana and Angela for a retirement planning session focused on women’s unique needs. Learn about income goals, Social Security, healthcare costs, inflation, and how to maximize savings through 401(k)s and IRAs. Get practical strategies to close

On May 21, 2025, in Tiara Yachts v. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals determined that the defendant carrier acted as a fiduciary for a plan governed by ERISA and violated its fiduciary duty to the plan by overpaying providers for services rendered to plan participants. Background The plaintiff is a company that offered its employees a self-insured benefits plan and hired the defendant carrier to administer it. According to the contract between the parties, t

On May 22, 2025, the House of Representatives passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” to implement President Trump’s agenda as part of the budget reconciliation process. In addition to the bill’s numerous tax provisions, the legislation includes a large number of sweeping changes to the rules governing tax-advantaged savings accounts, Medicaid, PBM transparency, and Medicare. However, the bill is still in the early stages of the legislative process, and these provisions could change significant

On March 18, Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed HB 1641. The new legislation requires health insurance policies issued, reissued, or extended on or after January 1, 2026, to include coverage for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS) and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS). The legislation specifically requires PANDAS and PANS coverage to include payment for treatment using antimicr

On May 20, 2025, in Bokma v. Performance Food Group, Inc., the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia denied a group health plan sponsor’s motion to dismiss three ERISA claims brought by participants who alleged the plan’s tobacco surcharge was unlawful. Background The plaintiffs in this case participated in defendant Performance Food Group, Inc.’s ERISA group health plan, which imposed an annual surcharge of $600 on employees and $300 on spouses or domestic partners who enrolled i

On May 2, 2025, Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed HB 1609, which directs the Commonwealth’s Health Insurance Reform Commission to consider adding coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility, as well as other services related to fertility care, to Virginia’s essential health benefits benchmark plan. Notably, the General Assembly rejected an amendment proposed by the governor that would have added a conscience clause to exempt employers with religious or moral objections from any coverage re

The 2025 legislative session in Arizona ended on May 23. Important employee benefits updates signed into law in May are detailed below. On May 2, 2025, Gov. Hobbs signed SB 1626: Health Insurance; Surprise Billing; Disputes. The legislation amends an existing requirement that health insurers include a notice outlining an enrollee’s rights to dispute out-of-network bills. Providers or billing offices must also provide this notice upon request from an enrollee. The bill clarifies that this notice

On April 24, 2025, Gov. Polis signed SB 25-183: Coverage for Pregnancy-Related Services. The new legislation prohibits health insurance companies from excluding coverage for abortion. Also, all individual and group health benefit plans issued or renewed in the state must cover the total cost of abortion unless certain exceptions apply, including if coverage conflicts with an employer’s sincerely held religious beliefs. The act takes effect on January 1, 2026. Employers with plans governed by st