HR Shouldn’t Be a Costume Contest Benefits Costs are Going Up.

October might be ending tomorrow, but HR’s spooky season is just beginning. Between shifting compliance rules, unpredictable costs, and emerging AI tools, 2026 is shaping up to be a year full of tricks instead of treats. Not to mention a new plan year kicking off in January and the never-ending slog of IRS filings. 

HR plays a lot of different roles in the organization—data and insights fortune teller, benefits detail detective, HR strategy construction worker, the list goes on (and on, and on, and on). Above all, though, HR leads the true strategy of their organization, and that can’t be hidden behind a mask. 

What costume have you worn the most this year? Let us know in the comments (bonus points for photos).  

In this edition, we’re taking a closer look at how HR can turn a Q4 haunted house of to-dos into their treasure map for 2026: 

• 🌽 How to navigate the upcoming maze of compliance changes 
• 🔮 Staying agile with the right AI and insights 
• ☠️ Rising costs and access to care 
• 🗞️ Plus, news you might have missed 

Let’s dive in.  

HR’s compliance corn maze map 

The compliance landscape for 2026 is already looking challenging as access to care shrinks for millions of U.S. adults due to the Medicare cuts taking effect in January. This will continue to have cascading effects for many employees and employers as costs go up as people are forced to choose between their budget or their health.  

But that’s just one of many changes on the horizon.  

What’s ahead?  

• Mental Health Parity Act: Enforcement is ramping up as regulators push employers to prove mental health benefits are equal to medical coverage.  
• Pay Transparency and Equity: More states are requiring salary ranges in job postings and public pay reporting. 
• Leave Law Expansion: Paid family and medical leave programs are widening at both state and federal levels. 
• Data Privacy and Security: Employee and benefits data are under new scrutiny as privacy laws tighten.

We’re not your attorney, but at a bare minimum these changes underscore the importance of reviewing your employee handbooks and internal processes to map out your compliance plan for the next year.  

Join us for a monthly compliance chat with Brooke Salazar, Sr. Compliance Director, every third Wednesday of the month. Register here. 

Do Your AI Tools Empower You?  

AI is shifting the way we work, elevating us out of the mundane and manual tasks up into strategic activators with facts, stats, and trendlines. But the real magic isn’t in the machine, it’s in the human interpretation. While AI can highlight patterns and trends, it takes the human talent in HR to put that into real action. 

No matter how you look at it, good AI will always have a critical human element. Businessolver’s AI, Sofia, is powered by an incredible team of engineers, linguists, product experts, and our users.  

AI should do more than just automate—it should illuminate. Our AI isn’t a scripted chatbot with a custom label slapped on. It’s an insightful tool that helps HR stay focused, strategic, and informed.  

Our latest service center upgrades highlight what empathy in AI looks like. See how.  

Rising Costs Jump Scares 

Many employers are already bracing themselves for the ripple effects of the healthcare cost increases we’ll see next year. From premium hikes to inflation to the Medicare cuts, costs just got way more complex. How is that even possible? Seriously—we need to talk about it.  

While we can’t wave a magic wand and solve this (yet), we can spotlight some areas that HR can have positive influence starting today.  

1. Financial security: Paychecks continue to tighten and the ripple effects of increased premiums and reduced access to care are forcing many employees to walk a financial tightrope. Minor out-of-pocket costs might feel catastrophic for some. 
   How HR can help: Highlight “paycheck protector” benefits, like virtual health, HSA and 401(k) matching, with regular communications. 
2. Right-fit benefit steerage: Underinsurance is a silent villain—employees might technically have coverage, but do they know it exists? Or how to use it?  
   How HR can help: Lean into decision-support tools to help guide employees towards all the different plan options and solutions available to them. Small nudges can prevent costly missteps later. 
3. Preventive wellness: Rising costs aren’t just impacting coverage, it can also drive care avoidance. When employees skip preventive visits or screenings, downstream costs grow for both sides. 
   How HR can help: Partner with vendors to make preventive care easy to access and clearly communicated. Incentivize checkups, promote mental health resources, and frame wellness as financial protection, not a perk. 
    

News you might have missed

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How HR can prove out ROI

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