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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Healthcare costs are set to hit workers and employers alike — again. A new Aon report projects a 9.5% rise in employer healthcare costs in 2027, pushing average per-employee spending past $19,000. This marks the fourth consecutive year of near-double-digit increases, driven by chronic conditions, specialty drugs, and the growing use of GLP-1 therapies — and employees are increasingly being asked to share the burden.
U.S. employer-sponsored healthcare costs are projected to jump 9.5% in 2027, according to a new Aon report, marking the fourth straight year of near-double-digit increases. The average cost per employee would surpass $19,000 — a trend Aon describes as "one of the most sustained periods of health care inflation employers have faced in decades." Driving the surge: rising rates of chronic conditions, more high-cost claims, specialty medications, and the rapid adoption of GLP-1 therapies for weight loss and diabetes.
Employees aren't being spared. In 2026, workers are expected to pay an average of $5,297 in healthcare costs — up 7.9% from 2025 — with out-of-pocket expenses rising 10.2% to $2,167. Meanwhile, a separate Mercer survey found that nearly half of large employers plan to shift even more costs onto workers in 2027, including raising premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums. Some are also pulling back on GLP-1 coverage to rein in pharmacy spend, which is rising at roughly 9% annually.
For healthcare providers and patients alike, these trends signal tighter coverage, higher cost-sharing, and growing affordability pressures — particularly for those relying on high-cost therapies. As employers weigh benefits against budgets, access to care could become an increasingly fraught issue for millions of Americans.
