Consulting groups and organizations are issuing their predictions for healthcare costs in 2026. And so far, they appear steep.
Here is a roundup of what these groups are saying:
- Mercer: The 2025 National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans found total health benefit costs per employee could increase 6.5% in 2026, marking the highest jump in 15 years. Employers estimated a 9% increase in plan cost before cost-reduction measures.
- Aon: The professional services firm projected employer healthcare costs would increase 9.5%, reaching over $17,000 per employee.
- Willis Towers Watson: The Wall Street Journal published WTW employer survey results predicting a 9.2% surge, indicating the fastest rate of increase since at least 2011.
- International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans: The highest prediction is a 10% increase. Surveyed employers attributed this spike to catastrophic claims, costly drugs, utilization due to chronic conditions and medical provider costs.
Multiple surveys said employers are pointing to chronic and high-cost conditions, greater utilization and drug spending — particularly on GLP-1s — as factors in rising costs.
According to Mercer, most employers will address these price hikes by raising deductibles and implementing other cost-sharing provisions. Another Mercer survey showed that more than half of employers plan to shift costs to employees. However, their other survey also added that some employers are focusing on longer-term strategies to avoid offloading costs.
