To prepare for open enrollment, employers that sponsor health plans should be aware of compliance changes affecting the design and administration of their plans for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2026. These changes include limits adjusted for inflation each year, such as the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) affordability percentage and cost-sharing limits for high deductible health plans (HDHPs). Employers should review their health plan’s design to confirm that it has been updated, as necessary, for these changes.
In addition, any changes to a health plan’s benefits for the 2026 plan year should be communicated to plan participants through an updated Summary Plan Description (SPD) or a Summary of Material Modifications (SMM).