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Majority of U.S. Employers to Shift Healthcare Costs to Workers in 2026

Rising medical and prescription drug inflation pushes employers toward higher deductibles, prompting exploration of new contracting models

In an employer-driven labor market, companies are finding ways to push health care costs over to their workers.
Employees could face higher deductibles and out-of-pocket costs next year.
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Overview

  • Just over half of large employers plan to boost employee cost-sharing in 2026 by raising deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums
  • Companies forecast nearly 6% growth in health benefits expenses for 2025 after a 4.5% increase in 2024
  • Seventy-seven percent of employers identify GLP-1 weight-loss drug costs as a top concern, signaling a slowdown in new coverage additions next year
  • Forty percent of employers are weighing alternative prescription contracting models to curb steep drug price inflation
  • Employers are expanding mental health support with 35% offering onsite EAP counseling in 2026, up from 29% this year