Employers Brace For Soaring Healthcare Costs As 2026 Premiums Set To Climb At Fastest Rate Since 2011

U.S. businesses are bracing for the sharpest health insurance cost increases in over a decade, according to The Wall Street Journal. Employer health coverage costs are projected to rise about 9% to 10% in 2026, according to Aon and WTW. The increases would be the fastest since at least 2011, pushing family plan costs well above the current $25,500 average. Insurers attribute rising health coverage premiums to higher hospital prices, increased service use from growing illness rates, and costly drugs like GLP-1 treatments. Employers are trying to limit rising healthcare costs by adjusting plan designs but are also shifting more expenses to workers through higher premiums and out-of-pocket charges. Healthcare executives warn costs are escalating rapidly due to aggressive billing and rising demand, with serious illnesses increasingly affecting younger workers.