American workers who get health insurance through their employers are paying hundreds of dollars more for coverage this year, according to a 2026 survey from the nonprofit KFF released Thursday.
The 2026 Employer Health Benefits Survey found small business employees took the biggest hit. Workers at companies with 10 to 99 employees typically shoulder a larger share of their insurance costs than people at bigger firms.
Employers report that workers now pay an average of $7,471 a year toward premiums for family coverage. That is up roughly 9%, or $621, from last year. Almost 157 million Americans under retirement age rely on employer-sponsored coverage.
"Workers are paying a bigger chunk this year," said Matthew Rae, associate director of KFF's Program on the Health Care Marketplace, "which also brings up the issue of affordability." The survey indicates many people see their expenses climb without clear improvements in benefits. Small businesses, which employ roughly 62.3 million people, could feel the impact more acutely.
Healthcare costs have become a midterm election issue. An AP-NORC poll in October found about 7 in 10 registered voters call healthcare "one of the most important issues" in this election. President Donald Trump has pitched his most-favored nation prescription drug pricing as a way to cut costs.
Common questions
How much are workers paying for family health insurance this year?
- Workers with employer coverage pay an average of $7,471 a year toward premiums for family coverage, according to KFF's 2026 Employer Health Benefits Survey. That is up roughly 9%, or $621, from last year. The survey was released Thursday by the nonprofit KFF.
Which workers are hit hardest by rising health insurance costs?
- Employees of small businesses took the biggest hit, the survey found. Workers at companies with 10 to 99 employees typically pay a larger share of their insurance costs than people at bigger firms. That comparison comes from KFF's 2026 Employer Health Benefits Survey, released Thursday.
How many Americans get health insurance through an employer?
- Almost 157 million Americans under retirement age rely on employer-sponsored coverage, according to KFF's 2026 survey. Workers who get insurance through their jobs are paying hundreds of dollars more this year. The nonprofit KFF released the survey Thursday, and it found small business employees took the biggest hit.
