Employer Health Benefit Costs Jump 6.7% in 2026 to 15-Year High
Updated
Updated · CFO Brew · Jul 13
Employer Health Benefit Costs Jump 6.7% in 2026 to 15-Year High
1 articles · Updated · CFO Brew · Jul 13
Summary
A Mercer survey projects average employer health benefit costs will rise 6.7% in 2026, extending an elevated trend that began in 2023 after roughly a decade of annual growth near 3%.
One-third of CFOs polled in February 2026 ranked healthcare costs among their top three operating-expense concerns, up from 19% in 2024, showing the pressure is spreading beyond benefits budgets.
Marybeth Gray of MarshMcLennan Agency said employers should start with claims and underwriting data to identify the biggest cost drivers before pursuing savings measures.
Gray recommends sequencing changes over a three-year plan—quick, high-return fixes first, with more disruptive moves such as switching pharmacy benefit managers or insurers pushed to later years and tested against ROI.