(AURN News) — If you think health care is expensive now, get ready: Employer health benefit costs are on track for their sharpest increase in 15 years.
Employers are bracing for a sharp jump in health care costs next year. Mercer projects the average total cost of health benefits per employee will rise 6.5% in 2026 — the biggest increase in 15 years. The estimate is based on early responses to the firm’s 2025 survey of employer-sponsored health plans.
The 6.5% increase would mark the fourth straight year of elevated growth, continuing a trend straining both employers and workers. Mercer says the drivers include consolidation among health care providers, general inflation, rising wages in the medical sector and new technologies such as artificial intelligence.
“Survey results indicate that while the majority of employers will make changes to reduce cost increases in 2026, many are pursuing longer-term — even disruptive — strategies to slow cost growth,” the firm stated in its report.
But those cost-saving measures may not protect workers from feeling the impact. According to the survey, 59% of employers say they plan to make changes to their health plans next year — which could mean higher deductibles and steeper out-of-pocket costs.
Still, Mercer notes that many companies are looking for ways to control spending without shifting the burden onto their workers.
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