There’s no single blockbuster benefits law dropping every July week — and that’s fine. The work is still real. This week’s top themes for most employers we support are operational: July 31 compliance and open enrollment runway.
1) Get Form 5500 / PCORI out of the “we’ll get to it” pile
Calendar-year plans often face a July 31 Form 5500 due date (unless a proper extension is filed). Separately, PCORI fees for self-insured plans and many HRAs are reported on Form 720 on a similar late-July cadence. If you can’t name the human who owns each filing, you don’t have an owner yet — you have a hope.
2) Put dates on OE prep
Carriers, brokers, and TPAs are already staking fall meeting times. Decide this week:
- When draft contributions and plan options circulate internally
- When employee-facing copy must be accurate (including 2026→2027 limit updates once IRS numbers post)
- Who reviews COBRA, FSA, HSA, and HRA language so OE guides don’t contradict SPDs
CBA’s take
Compliance calendars and enrollment calendars collide in late summer. Pull them into one shared view. If you want a second set of eyes on how FSA/HSA/HRA administration and consolidated billing will handle your fall changes, we’re easier to catch now than in October.