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What recent news impacts your business, health and benefits options?
Regulatory changes, quiet deadlines and little-known opportunities that actually move the needle. Each one in about sixty seconds, with what it costs you or saves you, and a link to the source so you can check the work.
Updated September 18, 2026
Five things moved between mid-2025 and now. Did anyone tell you?
Each one changes a number in your plan. Sixty seconds each, with the source named.
| When | What changed | What it costs you, or saves you |
|---|---|---|
| Sept 14, 2026 | ICHRA is now called a CHOICE Arrangement | CMS and the Small Business Administration adopted the new name with an education push for small employers. The regulation didn't change and there is no new tax credit. If a write-up says "ICHRA is now CHOICE, with a tax credit," the first half is true and the second half isn't yet. The tax credit bill has sat in committee since September 2025. Source: CMS press release, cms.gov/choicearrangements |
| Dec 31, 2025 | Enhanced marketplace subsidies expired | The American Rescue Plan enhancements ended on schedule. A 3-year extension passed the House on January 8, 2026 and had not been enacted as of August 2026. Insurers then filed a typical 15.3% increase for 2027. If you run a CHOICE Arrangement or QSEHRA, the allowance that cleared the affordability test in 2025 needs a fresh look before open enrollment. Source: KFF analysis, August 3, 2026 |
| Jan 1, 2026 | Bronze and catastrophic plans count as high-deductible plans | Under P.L. 119-21, a marketplace bronze or catastrophic plan is now treated as a high-deductible plan for HSA purposes. An employee on a bronze plan can fund an HSA. Before 2026, most couldn't. An allowance plus a bronze plan plus an HSA is a real structure now, and it wasn't a year ago. Source: P.L. 119-21 section 71307 |
| Jan 1, 2026 | Direct primary care no longer breaks the HSA | A membership up to $150 per month individual or $300 family is no longer disqualifying coverage, and the fee is a qualified medical expense. The telehealth-before-deductible safe harbor also became permanent. Cheap primary care that keeps claims out of the emergency room is now compatible with an HSA plan. Source: P.L. 119-21 section 71308; Rev. Proc. 2026-24 |
| Jan 29, 2026 | The 2027 out-of-pocket maximum rose 13% | $12,000 self-only and $24,000 family, up from $10,600 and $21,200. That is the ceiling an employee can be exposed to inside a compliant plan. A funded HRA or a wrap around the deductible matters more in 2027 than it did in 2025. Some write-ups still print $10,150 for 2026; the June 2025 final rule superseded that. Source: 90 FR 27074; CMS 2027 payment parameters guidance, January 29, 2026 |
See what insurers filed for 2027 in your state · The 12 plan designs compared · Can your people keep their doctors?
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Executive digest, 60 seconds each
Written and reviewed by Keryn Gold, PhD, MBA, Managing Partner
New to the terms? See the glossary. · All posts
General information for educational purposes only. Not insurance, tax, legal or medical advice. Rules and figures change; check the linked source and your own advisors before acting.
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