Nick Welle exclusively devotes his practice to issues impacting group health and welfare benefit plans, focusing on health care reform issues and consumer-driven health benefits. Nick is the chair of the firm鈥檚 Health Benefits Practice, where he leads several attorneys focused on group health plan matters.
Nick regularly advises his clients on matters concerning the Affordable Care Act (ACA), HIPAA privacy, No Surprises Act, Price Transparency, COBRA, ERISA, cafeteria plans, flexible benefit plans, wellness programs, HRAs, health savings accounts, plan network design, MEWAs, association health plans, captive insurance arrangements, and other health benefit issues.
He works closely with plan administrators, plan sponsors (e.g., employers), PBMs, TPAs, carriers, consultants, wellness program administrators, health FSA and HRA administrators, EAP administrators, Centers of Excellence administrators, point solution companies, and other plan service providers in the health benefits space.
As part of his focus on staying at the forefront of the ongoing legislative and regulatory changes to health care reform and related benefits issues, Nick holds multiple positions with influential benefits organizations, including:
- Self-Insurance Institute of America (SIIA), Price Transparency Committee
- HRA Council, Compliance Subcommittee
- American Benefits Council (ABC), Health and Welfare Task Force
- Employers Council on Flexible Compensation (ECFC), Technical Advisory Committee
- American Bar Association (ABA), Health Care Reform Task Force
- Health Care Administrators Association (HCAA)
- CMS External Partner HRA Working Group
He frequently publishes and presents on legal developments impacting health plans. Nick is also routinely quoted and used as a legal expert resource on health plan issues for prominent media outlets, such as聽Bloomberg Law,听尝补飞360,听Kaiser Health News, Wall Street Journal, and others.
Nick is also the co-chair of the Milwaukee Pro Bono Committee and dedicates significant time to pro bono matters and community outreach. With this leadership position, he helps the Milwaukee office pursue significant pro bono opportunities and stay connected with the community on important issues.
Awards and Recognition
- Award, 鈥淟egal All-Star 鈥 Leader in the Law,鈥 by Wisconsin Law Journal in its inaugural year (2022)
- Distinction, Member of the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation (typically a lifetime designation), limited to 1% of lawyers admitted into the US demonstrating outstanding leadership in the law and service to society
- Award, Philanthropic 5 United Way Emerging Leader, for his community leadership in the Greater Milwaukee area (2022)
- Distinction, Member of the Fellows of the Wisconsin Law Foundation (typically a lifetime designation), which is limited to only 2.5% of Wisconsin State Bar members and considered a professional honor in recognition of his significant legal accomplishments and volunteer service to his community
- Award, 鈥淯p and Coming Lawyer,鈥 by the Wisconsin Law Journal (2018)
Community Involvement
As the co-chair of the Milwaukee Pro Bono Committee, Nick is involved in various pro bono and community outreach matters. For example, Nick runs Milwaukee鈥檚 Street Law Legal Diversity Pipeline Program. The program educates high school students from low-income families and diverse backgrounds about the law and the legal profession in general. He also hires students from the Program to become paid interns at 麻豆直播 and provides mentorship as they enter college and law school.
Nick also acts as a key liaison between 麻豆直播 and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee as he helps maintain a long-lasting partnership between these two organizations, assisting the Club with various needs, including backpacks for students, camp clean-up, mentoring and others.
Presentations and Publications
Nick frequently publishes and presents on issues concerning health care reform and legal developments impacting health plans. He also provides boardroom presentations and CLE programs to clients interested in learning about the changes in the law or wanting refresher trainings on particular health plan topics. Nick is considered a valuable resource for journalists and industry publications, being interviewed and quoted on issues impacting health plans.
Examples include:
- Speaker, 鈥淔ederal Healthcare Law Changes 鈥 What Employers Need to Know,鈥 WMC Health Care Costs Committee (June 11, 2026)
- Speaker, 鈥淒emystifying ICHRA Compliance: Staying Affordable, Compliant, and Confident,鈥 AIM (Aligning ICHRA Minds) Conference (May 21, 2026)
- Speaker, 鈥淢edicare Part D Updates and Legislation in the States,鈥 HRA Council (May 12, 2026)
- Speaker, 鈥淭he New Wave of PBM Reform 鈥 Practical Takeaways for Employers,鈥 The Benefits Playbook Event: Mastering Your Health Plan Strategy (April 29, 2026)
- Speaker, 鈥淚CHRA Federal & State Updates: What Agents Need to Know,鈥 Medicarians (April 22, 2026)
- Speaker, 鈥淐apitol Insiders,鈥 HRA Council (March 2, 2026)
- Speaker, , by Capital Rx (January 2, 2026)
- Speaker, “Turning ICHRA Challenges into Strategic Opportunities,” AIM 2025 Premier ICHRA Conference (May 22, 2025)
- Speaker, “Regulatory Round-Up: Navigating Fiduciary Responsibilities, Data, Compliance, and Cost,” Capital Rx 2025 Partner Summit (March 24,2025)
- Speaker, “Thorny Laws for ICHRA Vendors to Consider,” HRA Council (February 11, 2025).
- Speaker, , by Capital Rx (January 31, 2025)
- Panelist, “Surprise Medical Billing and the Federal IDR Process: How’s It Going?”, Self-Insurance Institute of America National Conference (October 9, 2023)
- Speaker, 鈥淪tate Licensing for Service Providers: Discussing TPA, PBM, UM, Network Management, Producer and Other State Law License Requirements,鈥 Association of Corporate Counsel 鈥 Health Law Network (April 25, 2023)
- Speaker, 鈥淒ata Accessibility & Price Transparency: Understanding Exposure,鈥 SIIA Price Transparency Forum (February 28, 2023)
- Speaker, 鈥淭ax-free health benefits for Virginia Small Businesses: Learn about ICHRA and QSEHRA,鈥 Panel Presentation with Virginia State Corporation Commission (February 16, 2023)
- Speaker, 鈥淧rice Transparency and No Surprises,鈥 麻豆直播鈥檚 CLE Week (December 9, 2022)
- Moderator, 鈥淎head of the Curve: Navigating the No Surprises Act,鈥 Texas Association of Health Plans conference (November 8, 2022)
- Quoted, 鈥淟egal Risks Loom For Employers Protecting Abortion Access,鈥 Law360 (October 14, 2022)
- Quoted, 鈥淟GBTQ Bias In Fertility Benefits Is An Emerging Battleground,鈥 Law360 (April 20, 2022)
- Quoted, “Insurers Must Answer for Mental Health Care Gaps, Senator Says,鈥 Bloomberg Law (March 30, 2022)
- Speaker, ICHRAs and ACA Compliance, HRA Council (February 8, 2022)
- Speaker, “Price Transparency & Consumer Empowerment: Where Do We Go From Here,” #HLTHGoLIVE (January 19, 2022)
- Quoted, “Health Coverage Extensions Could Create Headaches for Employers,” Bloomberg Law (May 8, 2020)
- Quoted, “Attorneys Brace for More Lawsuits Over Health Insurance Notices,” Bloomberg Law (May 4, 2020)
- Quoted, “Will Some Employers Be Allowed to Stop Offering Group Health Coverage Under the ACA? Stay Tuned,” Law.com Corporate Counsel (January 23, 2019)
- Quoted, “Confusion reigns over employer HIPAA privacy obligations,” Business Insurance (July 1, 2018)
Mental Health Parity Compliance Traps 鈥 Department of Labor (DOL) Guidance Warns What to Watch Out For
Health Coverage Alternatives for Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)
Building a Better Summary Plan Description (SPD): Key Provisions Worth Adding
Building a Better Summary Plan Description (SPD): Key Provisions Worth Adding
Proposed Rule Would Bring Flexibility to Employer Fertility Benefits
