Employer and worker health plan costs expected to jump in 2027

TL;DR

Total health benefit cost per employee is projected to rise by 8.2% in 2027, the steepest increase since 2003.
Without cost-saving measures, employer health plan costs would increase by an average of 11%.
Factors driving cost increases include higher treatment costs for serious illnesses, reduced provider leverage, and rising prescription drug prices.
New GLP-1 drugs for weight loss are contributing significantly to healthcare expenses, leading some employers to alter coverage.
Workers are expected to pay more through higher paycheck deductions and increased out-of-pocket costs.
59% of employers plan cost-cutting changes, such as raising deductibles.
Approximately two-thirds of large employers anticipate increasing employees' share of premium costs.
Workers are projected to spend an average of nearly $5,300 annually on health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs.
This represents a 7.9% increase from the previous year, the largest percentage rise in a decade.

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