To fight rising healthcare prices, employers could also be seeking to cut back healthcare advantages in 2026, in accordance with a brand new survey from consulting agency Mercer.
The survey, launched Wednesday, revealed that 51% of enormous employers (500 staff or extra) mentioned they’re probably or very more likely to make modifications that might shift extra prices to staff. This consists of rising deductibles or out-of-pocket maximums. In final yr’s survey, 45% of employers mentioned this.
Mercer’s survey was carried out in April and included responses from 711 organizations primarily based within the U.S. This consists of 504 organizations with 500 or extra staff and 207 organizations with fewer than 500 staff.
The survey additionally discovered that employers are contemplating different methods to mitigate prices. For instance, 35% of enormous employers will present a non-traditional medical plan possibility in 2026, equivalent to a variable copay plan during which “copay quantities differ by particular person suppliers and members can see the quantities prior to creating an appointment,” in accordance with Mercer. Of the 6% of enormous employers presently providing variable copay plans, 28% of their staff selected to enroll in them in 2025 on common.
“Employers challenge common well being profit prices to develop by practically 6% this yr, and 2026 could also be much more difficult from a value perspective,” mentioned Ed Lehman, Mercer’s U.S. well being and advantages chief, in an announcement. “Whereas short-term price containment actions may be wanted to handle present price range realities, we additionally see some employers utilizing longer-term methods, equivalent to providing slender community plans, that emphasize high-quality, high-value care. These methods could enhance well being outcomes or make healthcare extra inexpensive for workers.”
Mercer additionally discovered that the price of weight reduction medication like GLP-1s is of significant concern to employers. About 44% of enormous employers cowl the medication for weight problems, and 77% mentioned that this can be very or crucial to handle the price of GLP-1s.
“Whereas the pattern over the previous couple of years has been so as to add protection for GLP-1s authorized for weight-loss, some employers going through giant price will increase in 2026 could really feel this protection is out of attain,” mentioned Alysha Fluno, Mercer’s pharmacy innovation chief. “Employers are weighing the instant prices of protecting these medication in opposition to the potential for producing financial savings down the highway as soon as their workforce’s well being improves.”
As well as, 61% of enormous employers are contemplating a substitute for conventional pharmacy profit contracts that would offer extra transparency on the price of medication and PBM companies.
Extra findings from the survey embrace:
- About three-quarters of enormous employers plan to supply digital stress administration or resiliency assets in 2026. This consists of apps for mindfulness, meditation and cognitive behavioral remedy.
- Greater than half of employers plan to offer in-person or dwell on-line assets for managing stress, equivalent to coaching classes or teaching.
- Extra employers are coaching their managers on how one can establish when staff are battling psychological well being challenges. About 40% of enormous employers mentioned they’re conducting psychological well being coaching with managers.
Photograph: Mbve7642, Getty Photographs
