Capitol Benefits Group News & Updates
June is National Safety Awareness Month
Unintentional injuries and preventable deaths spike significantly during the summer months, with July recognized as the deadliest month of the year for preventable fatalities. This period—often referred to as the "100 Deadliest Days"—features stark increases in ER visits and fatal accidents across various demographics.
Employers can register for free available resources with the National Safety Council here. They are promoting a series of weekly safety topics throughout the entire week of June.
Accident insurance sponsored by employers are an affordable and easy way to protect against both on and off-the-job accidents. Accident insurance can be paid for by employees or the employer group organization or the cost can be shared.
Most workplace accident policies provide a fixed cash payout directly to the member following a covered accidental injury or death. Unlike traditional health insurance that pays medical providers, employees can spend this lump-sum money on anything needed—from covering high medical deductibles to replacing lost income or paying everyday living expenses.
Because accident policies are supplemental, the specific coverage amount depends on the severity and type of injury. Most policies cover the following expenses and events:
Core Injuries Covered
Bone Fractures and Dislocations: Fixed payouts if a bone is broken or a joint is dislocated.
Lacerations and Burns: Payments for stitches and varying degrees of burn severity.
Head and Dental Injuries: Coverage for concussions, eye damage, or emergency chipped/broken teeth.
Severe/Catastrophic Injuries: Substantial payouts for events like paralysis, comas, or loss of limbs.
Medical Care and Treatment
Emergency Services: Ambulance transport (both ground and air) and emergency room or urgent care visits.
Diagnostic Testing: Coverage for MRIs, CT scans, and X-rays required to diagnose the injury.
Hospitalization: Daily cash benefits for hospital admission, time spent in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and surgery.
Rehabilitation: Costs for follow-up doctor visits, physical therapy, prescription medications, and required medical devices (like crutches or braces).
For more information about accident insurance or to obtain a quote, please reach out to your dedicated Capitol Benefits Group representative or simply respond to this email.
June Webinar: Midyear Employment Law Check-In
As anticipated, 2026 is shaping up to be another big year for new and expanded employment laws. In this midyear check-in, we'll talk about what has and hasn't changed, take a look at the employment law trends shaping the HR landscape, and make sure you know what to keep an eye on.
In this webinar we’ll cover:
New and updated employment laws at the state and local level
Any federal changes affecting private employers
The current enforcement priorities of federal agencies
Trends that might be coming your way (if they haven't already)
Our speaker is Kara Govro, JD, SPHR, Principal Legal Analyst at Mineral, part of Mitratech.
This program is valid for 1 PDC for the SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP®.
This program has been approved for 1 HR (General) recertification credit hour toward aPHR®, aPHRi™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™, and SPHRi™ recertification through the HR Certification Institute.
PCORI Fee
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) created the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to study clinical effectiveness and health outcomes. To finance the institute’s work, a small annual fee—the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund Fee, or more commonly called the PCORI fee—is imposed on group health plans. Grandfathered health plans are not exempt.
Fee Basics
The PCORI fee applies for each plan year based on the plan year end date. For example, PCORI filing for a plan year ending on April 30, 2025, will be due on July 31, 2026, using coverage from March 1, 2024, through April 30, 2025.
The current fee amounts are:
$3.47 per year per participant for plan year ending on or after October 1, 2024, and before October 1, 2025.
$3.84 per year per participant for plan years ending on or after October 1, 2025, and before October 1, 2026.
Insurers are responsible for calculating and paying the fee for insured plans. Employers sponsoring self-insured (self-funded) and level-funded plans are responsible for calculating and paying the fee with respect to those plans.
Capitol Benefits Group does routinely reach out to employer group organizations subject to the PCORI fee filing annually. If you are not sure if this compliance activity applies to your organization, you are invited to contact your dedicated Capitol Benefits Group representative or simply respond to this email message.
2027 HSA Contribution Limits and HDHP Requirements
The Internal Revenue Service released Revenue Procedure 2026-24 which provides the 2027 inflation adjusted amounts for high-deductible health plans (HPHPs) and Health Savings Accounts.
For the 2027 tax year, the IRS has set the following Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution limits:
Self-only coverage: $4,500 (up from $4,400 in 2026)
Family coverage: $9,000 (up from $8,750 in 2026)
Catch-up contribution (age 55+): $1,000 (unchanged from 2026)
These limits are tax-deductible (if made directly) or pre-tax through payroll, and funds grow tax-free. Withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are also tax-free.
HDHP Qualification Requirements for 2027
To contribute to an HSA, you msut have an HSA-eligible High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) meeting these minimums
Minimum annual deductible:
Self-only: $1,750 (up from $1,700 in 2026)
Family: $3,500 (up from $3,400 in 2026)
Maximum annual out-of-pocket limit:
Self-only: $8,700 (up from $8,500 in 2026)
Family: $17,400 (up from $17,000 in 2026)
Key Points
The increases are based on the Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) inflation adjustment
Unused HSA funds roll over year to year, making HSAs a long-term savings vehicle
The $1,000 catch-up for those aged 55+ is fixed by statute and does not adjust for inflation