Mental Health Parity Compliance 2026: What Employers Must Document

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 6, 2026
Mental Health Parity Audit Ready

Mental health parity isn’t a new concept—but 2026 is shaping up to be the year of heightened enforcement. With the Department of Labor (DOL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Treasury ramping up audits, employers can no longer assume their plans are compliant just because they cover counseling sessions or provide an EAP.

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) requires that mental health and substance

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How to Benchmark Your Benefits Package Against Your Industry

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 6, 2026
Compare Employee Benefits With Peers

By Taylor Benefits Insurance – Your Partner in Competitive Employee Benefits

In a competitive job market, your salary offer is only part of the story. Employees — especially top talent — are equally interested in the quality, scope, and relevance of your benefits package. If your benefits fall short of industry standards, you risk:

Case Study: Self-Funded with Stop-Loss—How a Manufacturer Saved 18%

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 2, 2026
Self-Funded Plan Delivered Major Savings

By Taylor Benefits Insurance — anonymized client details. Results verified against carrier/TPA

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ACA 2026: Updated 1095-C Penalties & Reporting Requirements

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 7, 2026
Employers Ensuring ACA Compliance

If your business is an Applicable Large Employer (ALE), it’s time to prepare for updated Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting rules for 2026. The IRS has released new penalty structures and clarified some of the reporting processes tied to Form 1095-C, and failing to stay compliant could cost you thousands per employee.

This guide provides everything you need to know about 1095-C updates, new fines, and the steps to take before Q1 2026.

Who Needs to File

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COBRA for Remote, Multi-State Teams: What Employers Get Wrong

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 3, 2026
Employer COBRA Compliance Guide

If your workforce is spread across multiple states, or even just outside your corporate headquarters, COBRA administration can quickly become one of the most misunderstood (and legally risky) parts of your benefits program. COBRA compliance isn’t just about mailing a packet and hoping for the best. It involves multi-jurisdictional timing rules, documentation standards, and tight operational execution. One missed deadline or outdated address, and you’re not just dealing with a paperwork issue—you’re staring down potential IRS penalties, lawsuits, or

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Ask the Broker #2: Should We Move From Fully-Insured to Level-Funded?

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 2, 2026
Smart Strategy For Employer Insurance

When it comes to group health insurance funding models, one question we hear from employers more often than ever is:

“Should we stick with our fully-insured plan or switch to a level-funded arrangement?”

The answer isn’t the same for every company — but understanding the mechanics, pros, cons, and timing of each option will help you make an informed decision. let's find out how level-funded health plans work, how they differ from

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HSA vs HRA vs FSA: A Straightforward Employer Decision Framework (2026 Edition)

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 7, 2026
Small Business Employer Benefit Cost Control

Employers today are navigating a crowded world of healthcare savings options: HSAs (Health Savings Accounts), HRAs (Health Reimbursement Arrangements), and FSAs (Flexible Spending Accounts). All three provide tax advantages, but they function differently and are suited to different employer and employee needs. If you’ve ever wondered which one to offer—or whether you should offer more than one, this guide gives you a no-nonsense breakdown of how each works, who it benefits, and what it takes to manage each option

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Section 125 Compliance: A State-by-State Employer Handbook (2026 Edition)

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 7, 2026
Pre-tax Benefits Employee Cafeteria Plan

Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code allows employers to offer their employees a cafeteria plan—benefits that can be paid for with pre-tax dollars. But offering these plans isn't just a tax strategy—it comes with compliance obligations that vary slightly depending on federal and state regulations. If you're an employer, HR director, or CFO overseeing your organization's benefits plan, this guide is your go-to resource for understanding and maintaining Section 125 compliance across the U.S.

What Is a Section

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Ask the Broker #1 – PPO vs HMO vs EPO: What Should Employers Pick (and Why)?

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 5, 2026
Affordable Group Health Insurance

By Todd Taylor, a licensed benefits insurance broker with 35+ years advising SMBs and mid‑market employers. If you manage benefits for a small or mid‑sized company, you’ve probably stared at a spreadsheet full of acronyms—PPO, HMO, EPO, HDHP—wondering which one will keep employees happy and the renewal under control. This is the exact question employers ask us every single week. Below is the same decision framework we walk clients through—practical, numbers-aware, and grounded in what actually happens at renewal time.

TL;DR

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Case Study: How a Texas SaaS Startup Cut Premium Costs by 30% Without Cutting Coverage

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 2, 2026

In today’s competitive tech market, small businesses need to balance employee benefits with financial sustainability. That was the challenge faced by CloudBright*, a 35-employee SaaS company based in Austin, Texas. With health insurance premiums rising every year and employee satisfaction starting to dip, they partnered with Taylor Benefits Insurance to find a smarter, more sustainable group health insurance strategy. Here is how we helped them find the best group health and employee benefits plan, so that all their

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