Getting health insurance from your job will be extra pricey for 2027
Job-Based Health Coverage May Cost Workers More in 2027
Goldlaner.com – Employees preparing to enroll in workplace health plans for 2027 could face another difficult round of higher costs. Employer spending on health benefits is projected to rise sharply, and many workers may encounter larger premium deductions, higher deductibles or increased copays when they seek care.
Aon, an insurance brokerage firm, expects employers’ health care costs to increase 9.5% next year before companies make plan changes intended to soften the impact. Other consulting firms and industry groups have produced similar forecasts, pointing to a fourth consecutive year of substantial pressure on employer-sponsored coverage.
The trend arrives while household budgets remain strained. Health insurance is often one of the largest recurring payroll deductions for families, so even modest adjustments can have consequences for spending on housing, food, transportation and other essentials. The issue has also become part of the broader affordability debate heading into the midterm elections.
Why health plan expenses are rising
Employers are confronting a different environment from the earlier period of relatively restrained health care inflation. More Americans are using medical services, while treatments for cancer and other serious conditions can carry high price tags. Demand for costly obesity medications is also adding to plan expenses.
Companies have already used many of the less disruptive ways to limit spending, leaving some with more consequential choices about the benefits they offer and the share workers must pay. Todor Penev, head of US health analytics at Aon, said the strain will become especially visible during annual enrollment.
“The affordability crisis is real,” he said. “It’s going to be much more noticeable with annual enrollment.”
For workers, the effect is not limited to the monthly premium. A plan can retain a relatively low payroll cost while requiring a bigger deductible before coverage pays for many services. Copays, prescription costs and network rules can also materially change the amount a household pays over a year.
Premium growth has already outpaced pay raises
Employees have recently seen the imbalance between wages and health coverage costs widen. KFF’s Employer Health Benefits Survey, published Thursday, found that workers’ contribution toward family premiums rose 9% this year to nearly $7,500 on average. Average wage increases, by comparison, were 3.7%.
That difference can make benefit decisions harder for families, particularly when a higher premium is paired with greater out-of-pocket exposure. Workers may need to look beyond the paycheck deduction and consider what they would owe if a family member needs routine care, specialist visits, hospital services or expensive prescriptions.
Small employers can face particularly difficult tradeoffs because a limited number of workers participate in their plans. At OSI Packaging in Shreveport, Louisiana, premiums rose to $300 a month for workers in 2026, an increase of $100 from the previous year. The company, which has six employees in its health plan, kept out-of-pocket expenses unchanged.
OSI Packaging distributes and services packaging materials and equipment. It began offering health coverage in May 2025 as part of an effort to help fill openings. Controller Julie Eason said the business remains committed to affordable, solid coverage, though another significant increase could force a decision between raising premiums and increasing copays.
“It’s their healthcare,” she said. “It’s only right to let them decide.”
Employers weigh premiums against deductibles
At the University Club of Michigan State University, human resources director Debbie Barosko is considering two options for the 30 employees covered by the plan. One would keep the deductible at $1,000 but raise premiums by nearly 13% for 2027. The other would increase the deductible to $1,500, reducing the premium increase to roughly 7%.
The employees already absorbed a 9% premium increase and a doubling of their deductible for the current year after the club’s longtime health insurer ceased operations. The choice now involves balancing recruitment considerations against the immediate cost of maintaining the plan for both the organization and its staff.
“It’s hard to stomach for the employees and the employer when you’re increasing the premiums but diluting the benefits,” she said.
That tension is likely to appear across workplaces during 2027 enrollment. A lower deductible can make a job’s benefits package more attractive and reduce financial barriers when care is needed. Yet maintaining that protection may require considerably higher premium contributions from the employer, workers or both.
What employees should review during enrollment
Employees may need to spend more time comparing plan details rather than simply selecting the option they used last year. Jim Winkler, chief strategy officer at the Business Group on Health, said expected changes make close review essential.
“The likelihood that people will see changes makes it critically important for them to invest the time to understand what the changes mean for them,” he said.
Workers should check whether their doctors and hospitals remain in network, including whether a plan has created a preferred network with lower copays. They should also verify prescription coverage and confirm whether the amount they pay for medications has changed. Comparing deductibles, annual out-of-pocket limits and copays can help reveal the practical cost of each option.
Coverage for GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss is another important area to examine. The Business Group on Health found that 60% of employers covered these medicines this year, down from 72% in 2025. Its members tend to be larger employers, and the organization has not heard that companies are newly adding coverage for weight-loss use.
People seeking these medications have additional purchasing routes, including discounted cash-pay programs offered by manufacturers. Eli Lilly’s Zepbound and Foundayo, along with Novo’s Wegovy, are among the prominent treatments available through such programs. Listed prices range from $149 to $699 depending on the medicine and dosage.
For 2027, the central question for many workers will be how much protection their paycheck can buy. As employers manage elevated medical costs, employees may increasingly have to choose between paying more every month and accepting greater expenses when care is needed.
Related Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Getting health insurance from your job will?Getting health insurance from your job will is the main topic of this guide. The article explains the context, practical details, and next steps readers should understand.
Why does Getting health insurance from your job will matter?Getting health insurance from your job will matters because readers are looking for a useful answer, not just a short summary. Good content should match search intent and help them decide what to do next.