Employer Health Care Costs Projected To Increase By 9.1% For 2026 Plan Year

U.S. employers project that their health care costs will increase by 9.1% in 2026, which is a higher pace than the previous two years, when increases were 8.1% in 2025 and 7.0% in 2024, according to a new survey by WTW, which provides data-driven, insight-led solutions and specializes in the areas of people, risk, and capital. The top three drivers of health care costs that the surveyed employers identified are specialty pharmaceuticals and GLP-1 medications, claimants who are high-cost, and chronic conditions, according to the survey results.

To implement cost-saving actions . . .