Even the most seasoned HR or benefits professional can get lost in the alphabet soup that is the world of spending accounts. Between FSAs, HRAs, and HSAs alone there are countless rules and plan options that can escape those who don’t interact with these accounts for a living. Add to that the recent introduction of the LSA (Lifestyle Spending Accounts) and the confusion only grows.

Below is a concise overview of the five account types we’re asked about most often by employers trying to improve the financial wellbeing of their workforce, followed by a brief update on how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act affected Dependent Care FSAs and HSAs.

As benefits leaders consider 2026 renewals and plan ahead for their 2027 strategies, new opportunities are emerging in how organizations approach musculoskeletal (MSK) care. While traditional Centers of Excellence (COE) have focused on surgical interventions, a new approach, non-operative COEs, prioritize conservative treatment and early intervention over surgical treatment. This shift represents a strategic response to mounting cost pressures driven by inappropriate utilization of surgery, and recognizes that many MSK conditions can be effectively managed without surgery.

The MSK Crisis Demanding Immediate Attention

Recent data surrounding MSK care in the U.S. paints a sobering picture. A 2024 article published in Elsevier’s Lancet Regional Health – Americas journal reports MSK diseases are “the leading cause of years lived with disability” and “an increasing health burden and economic cost of $980 billion annually.” The study found that research involving all types of MSK diseases are underfunded, especially neck pain (0.83% funded), low back pain (13.88% funded), and osteoarthritis (35.08% funded).¹

As we honor National Caregiver Month this November, it’s time to recognize that caregiving is no longer a peripheral issue—it’s a central force shaping workforce dynamics, employee well-being, and organizational resilience. For over 35 years, the Boston College Center for Work & Family (BCCWF) has driven progress on critical work-life issues related to caregiving, emphasizing the importance of flexible work, paid leave for parents and caregivers of all types, and promoting men as equal caregivers. From our recent conversations with work-life practitioners and thought leaders, it is clear that employers are looking for ways to better understand the care demographics of their workforces and the invisible loads they carry, and respond with supports that make a difference.

The Caregiving Reality: Universal, Invisible, and Intensifying

“Working while caregiving” is a nearly universal experience. Whether supporting aging parents, children with disabilities, spouses with chronic illness, or navigating end-of-life care, employees are managing complex responsibilities alongside their professional roles. Yet many do not self-identify as caregivers, and only 56% report that their supervisor is aware of their caregiving status (AARP 2015).

Menopause is a natural transition that affects nearly all women. The more we learn about this life change, the more we understand how much it impacts people’s personal and professional lives. Based on recent research, companies must understand menopause better to improve the health of their employees and the bottom line.

What exactly is menopause?

Menopause is defined as 12 months after a woman's last menstrual cycle. While the starting point is known, the length of this hormonal transition — and the severity of symptoms — varies from person to person.

Primary care physicians and advanced practice professionals provide a gateway to better health. They enable and direct preventive care, which in turn plays a significant role in helping people avoid chronic diseases, reducing overall health care costs.

Those benefits are quantifiable. For example, the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion reports that breast cancer screenings can reduce breast cancer deaths among 50- to 74-year-old women by 26% while promoting early diagnosis and reducing health care spending¹.

Employers seeking to mitigate risk and manage rising healthcare costs should be mindful of the need to strengthen their social contract with their workforce. That’s going to make it critical to step up their game with voluntary benefits: the more effectively they harness the power of their employee benefits data to get there, the better it’ll serve everyone’s interests.

Smarter use of analytics can help you design and offer health plans tailored to which employee groups they best suit – from low-wage earners to executives. Given the abundance of new benefits products and vendors, using employee benefits analytics is also a great way to clear the mud so you can focus on products that are the best fit for employees with unique needs.

In today’s complex world of work, employee wellbeing has become more than a buzzword—it’s a critical pillar of sustainable business performance. Yet, approaches to wellbeing vary significantly across countries, shaped by cultural norms, government policy, and societal expectations. From Scandinavia’s flexible work structures to Japan’s growing mindfulness culture, global perspectives offer valuable lessons for organizations looking to create more inclusive and effective wellbeing strategies (globally or domestically).

As companies operate across borders—or manage multicultural teams—there’s an opportunity to learn from international wellbeing models and adapt them to diverse workforces. Below are five approaches to employee wellbeing from countries outside the US and across the globe and what organizations can take away from them.

Technology is transforming health care with enhanced data insights, personalized solutions, and simpler tools that help members achieve their health ambitions.

With three out of five Americans saying the health care system is stressful to navigate, technology – AI specifically – is transforming employee plan member experiences.¹ This is important as positive experiences improve outcomes and reduce high-cost services such as avoidable emergency room visits.² Encouragingly, the shift is already underway and Americans are embracing the change, with one in five ready to use generative AI as a doctor’s assistant, and most are willing to use AI to help support routine health care activities, like scheduling appointments, refilling medications and updating contact details.³  

Pelvic floor pain for women can be caused by many factors. Your employees or their family members shouldn’t have to suffer alone.  Learn about the different treatment options and expert recommendations that you can share with your workforce and their loved ones. 

You go running for the first time in months. The next day, your legs are stiff and crazy sore. You volunteer to help your friend move and wake up the next morning with your back a little achy. When it comes to pelvic pain, however, the who-dun-it may not be so obvious. It hurts when you pee — but it’s not the tell-tale sting of a urinary tract infection. Your pelvis feels heavy and achy, but you’re not on your period. Get this: These symptoms could be a muscle thing, too. Just like your thighs and calves, the muscles in your pelvic floor can get tight or inflamed and lead to symptoms that may interfere with everyday life. And just like for other muscles, there are steps you can take to find relief. 

For a third consecutive year, The NEEBC community gathered to connect and learn about ever-developing innovations making a difference for the workforce.  NEEBC’s January 23^rd sold-out conference – Innovation in Employee Benefits: Changing the Game – provided an exciting window into the future of employee benefits, discussing cutting-edge developments in areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) in HR, leave management, and health benefits. Here’s a summary of the key topics and insights shared throughout the event.

1. AI-volution in Employee Benefits
Mike Brennan, Partner of HR Digital Transformation Services at Mercer, led an engaging discussion on the transformative impact of AI in the employee benefits space. Brennan outlined how AI can drive productivity and enhance employee value. The future of work, he suggested, will shift from routine tasks (HANDS work) to more strategic thinking (HEADS work) and eventually towards work that fosters human connection (HEARTS work).