On March 30–31, MedBen President, COO & CPO Caroline Fraker attended the annual Society of Professional Benefits Administrators (SPBA) Spring Conference in Washington, D.C. Traditionally, this gathering of third-party administrator professionals focuses on regulatory and legislative developments — with representatives from CMS, HHS, and the DOL in attendance — and the 2026 conference was no exception.
The meeting opened with a comprehensive overview of HIPAA and HITECH compliance, followed by sessions covering several key regulatory updates:
- Federal health care initiatives: Overview of CMS and HHS direction, including key components of TrumpRx and the Administration’s Great Healthcare Plan
- PBM transparency: Updates on proposed DOL regulations and new federal requirements aimed at increasing transparency
- Mental Health Parity (MHPAEA): Practical guidance on meeting compliance requirements
- No Surprises Act (NSA): Updates on the Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process and ongoing implementation considerations.
The two-day conference was filled with valuable insights and collaborative discussions on the impact and implementation of both new and evolving regulatory requirements. MedBen has attended SPBA conferences for over 30 years and, as always, will use this latest guidance to support clients and brokers in navigating plan compliance and regulatory changes.