Employer health insurance premiums climb again, KFF survey says

WASHINGTON — The cost of employer-sponsored health insurance rose again this year, and so did the deductible many workers must meet before their coverage begins paying most medical bills, according to a survey released by the nonpartisan health group KFF.

Average premiums for individual coverage increased to $9,804, while family coverage climbed to $28,303. Both figures were up 5% from the previous year.

Workers contributed about $1,672 toward individual plans, while employers paid $8,132. For family coverage, employees paid $7,471 and employers covered $20,833.

Employee contributions also moved higher. The amount workers paid for an individual plan rose by $232, or 16%, and the employee share of a family policy increased by $621, or 9%, the survey found.

“We have been hearing a lot about Affordable Care Act and Medicaid cuts,” KFF President and CEO Drew Altman said in a statement. “Now add a 9% increase in what workers with employer coverage paid toward family premiums in 2026 to the reasons voters are so concerned about their health care costs.”

The national survey examined health insurance costs at more than 1,900 employers across the country with at least 10 workers.

According to KFF’s data, employer-sponsored coverage has increased steadily over the past 15 years. In 2011, the annual cost of an individual plan was just under $5,500, and family coverage averaged $15,220.

The average deductible for single coverage reached $1,995 this year, meaning many employees still must pay thousands of dollars out of pocket before their insurance begins covering costs. That amount is more than double the 2011 average annual deductible of $955.

KFF said 88% of workers with individual coverage had a deductible in 2026.

Coverage offerings varied widely by employer, with differences often tied to company size.

Among large firms, defined in the survey as employers with more than 200 workers, 27% covered in vitro fertilization, or IVF.

That share varied by company size: 24% of firms with 200 to 999 employees offered IVF coverage, 38% of those with 1,000 to 4,999 workers did so, and 47% of companies with more than 5,000 employees included IVF in their plans.

Access to GLP-1 drugs, which can help people manage Type 2 diabetes and lose weight, also differed by employer size. In 2026, 18% of large firms covered those medications, slightly below the 19% that did so in the previous year.

The survey also found that 40% of companies require people using GLP-1 drugs for weight loss to meet with a dietitian, case manager or therapist, or take part in a lifestyle program before the medication is covered.