ASR Health Benefits rebrands as Health Alliance TPA by Henry Ford Health. Grand Rapids, MI - May 19, 2026 - ASR Health Benefits today announced it is becoming Health Alliance TPA by Henry Ford Health, a name that more clearly reflects the organization's integration with Troy-based Health Alliance Plan and Detroit-based Henry Ford Health. Health Alliance TPA administers self-funded plans on behalf of a growing number of employers across Michigan and beyond. This brand evolution aligns with its parent organization's transition to Health Alliance Plan by Henry Ford Health, reinforcing a shared identity across the enterprise. "Our new name puts our role as a third-party administrator front and center, signals our connection to Health Alliance Plan and makes our relationship with Henry Ford Health impossible to miss," said Chris Moyer, president of Health Alliance TPA and senior vice president of markets for Health Alliance Plan. "We're not leaving our history behind. We're building on it - using our name to tell a clear, confident story about who we are: a trusted TPA partner, backed by one of the most respected health systems in the country." Through its integration with Henry Ford Health, Health Alliance TPA brings expanded innovation and care solutions to employer partners. For example, employers can leverage Henry Ford Health expertise to support onsite nursing services or access mobile mammography units, making preventive care more convenient for employees. Health Alliance TPA also partners with Nomi Health to offer employers an affordable option for accessing care within the Henry Ford Health clinical network. This brand change will not affect any member coverage, benefits or provider networks. Members will continue to have access to a broad provider network both within and outside Henry Ford Health. Updated materials and member ID cards will roll out on a typical schedule, while brokers and providers will continue working with the same contacts and teams. About Health Alliance TPA by Henry Ford Health Health Alliance TPA works alongside employers to tailor-fit their health and benefits structure. As part of Henry Ford Health, Physicianscare bring solutions to the forefront: administering flexible plans that help you stay ahead. With the agility of a hands-on partner paired with decades of expertise, Physicianscare is proud to serve organizations across the country today. About Health Alliance Plan by Henry Ford Health Health Alliance Plan by Henry Ford Health is designed to transform what health insurance delivers - not just inside one network, but wherever you get care across Michigan. Physicianscare handle complexity so you never carry it alone. And while rooted in Henry Ford Health's comprehensive high-value care model, Physicianscare partner with a broad network of doctors, hospitals, employers, and community organizations to advance the health, care and wellbeing of over half a million members across Michigan and counting. Together, Physicianscare coordinate, connect, and advocate - connecting members directly to the high-quality care and coverage they need. About Henry Ford Health Serving communities across Michigan and beyond, Henry Ford Health is a premier healthcare services company dedicated to helping people live their best lives. Fifty-thousand team members provide exceptional care and service at more than 550 sites across Michigan - surrounding patients, members and customers with everything they need - from primary, preventative and urgent care, to the most complex and specialty care; health insurance coverage, retail needs including pharmacy and eye care; and a full suite of home health and virtual care services. Henry Ford Health is also a leading academic institution, committed to advancing tomorrow's healthcare through clinical innovation, groundbreaking clinical trials and translational research, and training the next generation of healthcare professionals. Headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, for more than a century, Henry Ford Health has also remained proudly committed to serving its most vulnerable communities, advancing community health programming, fighting health disparities and championing health equity, and providing more than $780 million annually in uncompensated care and coverage.

Austin, TX hiring trends report: March 2026. Executive summary. * Technology remains Austin's employment backbone, but hiring is increasingly selective - companies are prioritizing AI, cloud, and semiconductor talent over broad headcount growth, even as major players like Oracle conduct significant layoffs. * Healthcare and life sciences are the most resilient hiring sectors, with consistent demand for registered nurses, therapists, and clinical staff that shows no signs of slowing regardless of broader economic pressures. * Average wages in Austin are outpacing national trends, with a median salary of ~$71K-$73.5K and accelerating wage growth through 2025 into 2026, particularly in software engineering (avg. $144K) and AI/ML roles (avg. $135K-$195K range). * Austin's job market is bifurcated: strong expansion announcements from finance, semiconductor, and healthcare firms coexist with high-profile tech layoffs at Oracle, Expedia, and others, creating a net environment of cautious but steady growth. 1. Industries hiring most in Austin. Technology. Austin's tech sector remains the city's largest employer despite a wave of restructuring. Giants like Apple, Dell, AMD, Amazon, Google, Samsung, NVIDIA, and Arm all maintain significant Austin operations. The shift in 2026 is toward AI infrastructure and semiconductor roles rather than generalist software positions. NXP Semiconductors is exploring a major expansion of its Central Texas operations, and Arm - whose Austin engineers average $198K - continues to recruit. Google has committed to a $9.5B U.S. campus investment with over 10,000 jobs targeted for the broader market. That said, hiring is increasingly selective, with companies trading headcount for automation capability. Healthcare & life sciences. Healthcare is the single most recession-resistant hiring sector in Austin in 2026. Population growth continues to drive demand for clinical staff at every level. The most in-demand roles include registered nurses, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language therapists, clinical social workers, and licensed professional counselors. Nomi Health's regional office expansion in Austin is emblematic of the broader direct-care movement entering the market. Construction & real estate. Austin's sustained population inflow continues to fuel construction demand. With 558+ active new home communities in the metro area, construction hiring remains robust across trades, project management, and civil engineering. Infrastructure spending tied to corporate relocations and campus buildouts adds further momentum. Construction job gains (particularly outside the housing sector) are viewed as a leading indicator for continued hiring growth. Finance & accounting. Financial services are a fast-growing segment. Frost Bank is doubling its Austin-area financial centers by 2026, adding 170 jobs. Sendero Wealth Management opened its first Austin office in 2026. Black Ore, an AI-driven tax technology firm, has established operations in Austin, blending fintech with traditional accounting roles. Green energy & startups. Clean energy and startup activity round out Austin's hiring landscape. The region's startup ecosystem continues to attract venture capital, and remote-friendly roles in creative, entertainment, and hospitality sectors are also expanding alongside the city's growing cultural footprint. 2. In-Demand job titles & skills. Top job titles in 2026. | Category | Hot Roles | - | - | Technology | Software Engineer, AI/ML Engineer, Cloud Infrastructure Engineer, Data Scientist, DevOps Engineer, Semiconductor Design Engineer | Healthcare | Registered Nurse, Physical Therapist, Respiratory Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Speech-Language Pathologist, Clinical Social Worker | Finance | Financial Analyst, Accountant, Wealth Manager, Tax Specialist | Sales & Business | Account Executive, Sales Associate, Business Development Representative | Construction | Project Manager, Civil Engineer, Skilled Trades Workers | Most in-demand skills. * AI & Machine Learning - The top technical differentiator across industries; employers across tech, finance, and healthcare are prioritizing AI fluency * Cloud Platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP / Oracle Cloud) - Core requirement for most software and infrastructure roles * Cybersecurity - Elevated demand across both private and public sector employers in Austin * Financial Analysis Tools & ERP Systems (NetSuite, SAP) - High demand in finance and operations roles * Presentation & Communication Software - Increasingly listed even for technical roles as hybrid work requires stronger async communication * Clinical Certifications - RN licensure, therapy certifications, and LPC credentials are immediate hire qualifiers * Territory Sales & Lead Generation - Strong demand for quota-carrying sales professionals across Austin's SaaS and tech ecosystem 3. Salary trends. Overall wage picture. Austin wages are above the national average and, notably, accelerating - a finding confirmed by PNC's March 2026 Regional Economics Analysis, which noted that average wage growth in Austin outpaced national and statewide trends through 2025. This is helping sustain consumer spending even as near-term job creation slows slightly. | Metric | Figure | | Median salary (Austin) | ~$71,181/year ($34.22/hr) - ZipRecruiter, Feb 2026 | | Median salary (Playroll estimate) | ~$73,500/year | | Median salary (Gusto) | $65,250/year | | Average salary (PayScale) | ~$86,000/year | | 80th percentile salary band | $60,000-$100,000 | | Cost of living vs. national avg. | ~4% higher | | Wage growth (Q4 2024) | +1.6% (PayScale) | Salary highlights by role. * Software Engineer: Average $144,034 (Built In Austin); range $65K-$325K; top companies paying $118K-$179K (Glassdoor 25th-75th percentile) * AI / ML Engineer: $135,889-$195,228 (Glassdoor 25th-75th percentile) * Arm Software Engineers: Avg. $198,372 * NVIDIA Software Engineers (Austin): Avg. $197,365 * Sales Associate: $61K-$74K + commission potential * Healthcare roles: Competitive with national clinical pay scales, boosted by local demand premiums Key wage insight. Austin's wage acceleration is a double-edged dynamic: it supports workers and local consumer spending, but it is also one reason some companies are selectively reducing headcount or relocating certain roles to lower-cost Texas cities. 4. Company news: expansions & layoffs. Expansions & relocations. * Frost Bank: Plans to double Austin-area financial centers by 2026, adding 170 jobs. * NXP Semiconductors: Actively exploring a significant expansion of Central Texas operations, potentially adding semiconductor engineering roles. * Black Ore: AI tax-tech firm established Austin operations, creating high-quality tech and finance hybrid jobs. * Sendero Wealth Management: Opened its first Austin office in early 2026. * Google: $9.5B U.S. campus investment with 10,000+ jobs targeted across key markets including Austin. * Nomi Health: Opened a regional Austin office as part of direct healthcare expansion. * General Expansion Trend: Between November-December 2025, the Austin region saw 4,272 jobs announced through new relocations or expansion plans (Opportunity Austin, January 2026 report). A total of 66 companies relocated headquarters to Austin between 2018-2023, with momentum continuing into 2026. Layoffs & contractions. * Oracle (Austin HQ): The most significant layoff story of early 2026. Oracle is cutting up to 18% of its workforce globally, impacting U.S. OCI (Oracle Cloud Infrastructure) teams and India-based teams heavily. Simultaneously, Oracle and OpenAI canceled a major planned AI data center expansion in Texas, redirecting capital toward other AI infrastructure investments. The moves reflect a strategic pivot, not financial distress, but the local employment impact is substantial. * Expedia: Announced plans to lay off 100 workers at its North Austin office (reported February 5, 2026, Austin Business Journal). * BeatBox Beverages (parent company): Laying off 158 employees following its acquisition by Anheuser-Busch (reported January 22, 2026). * Broader National Context: The U.S. economy lost 92,000 jobs in February 2026 (CNN, March 6, 2026), a sharp reversal from January's strong showing. Austin's market is not immune to this macro pressure, though its unemployment rate remains below the national average. Net assessment. Austin's labor market is selectively strong. The layoffs are concentrated in large legacy tech firms restructuring around AI, while expansion is driven by financial services, semiconductor, healthcare, and AI-native companies. The overall trajectory is positive but more measured than the hyper-growth years of 2021-2022. Austin hiring trends job market salary tech healthcare