As the year winds down and schedules get busier, it remains crucial for employers to keep compliance for their employee benefit plans top of mind. There are several essential benefits-related actions that employers should complete before the end of 2025, including:
- Submitting a gag clause attestation or confirming that your health plan provider handles the attestation;
- Updating plan documents to reflect discretionary changes for 2025;
- Confirming distribution of required annual notices, including the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) notice; and
- Conducting any required nondiscrimination testing.
Employers should also prepare for the upcoming year by ensuring affordable health coverage for all full-time employees, updating benefit plan limits, and revising employee communications including Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs) to reflect 2026 changes.
Download the bulletin for the year-end checklist.
Resources
- Gag clause attestation instructions and user manual
- Model notices for group health plans, including the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA) notice
- Model CHIP notice
