WTW 2026 Best Practices in Healthcare Survey: U.S. employer healthcare costs set to rise at fastest pace in more than two decades
WTW's 2026 Best Practices in Healthcare Survey finds U.S. employers project healthcare costs will rise 11.1% in 2027 before plan changes and 9.7% after — the fastest pace since the early 2000s and nearly three times wage growth. Pharmacy is the focal pressure, expected to rise 11.5% in 2026 and representing roughly 36% of total healthcare claims when medical-benefit drugs are included; GLP-1 coverage for weight loss declined for the first time in three years, from 57% of employers to 53%.
Key figures
- Survey year
- 30
- Employees covered
- 7000000
- Survey respondents
- 471
- Pharmacy share of claims
- approximately 36%
- Pharmacy cost increase 2026
- 11.5%
- Projected cost rise 2027 after changes
- 9.7%
- Projected cost rise 2027 before changes
- 11.1%
AI analysis
The rest of the AI analysis, red flags and sentiment are part of Signal8 Pro.
AI-generated analysis of a public disclosure. Not investment advice; verify against the original document.