The anxiety follows substantial increases in health care costs throughout 2025. The average cost of employer-sponsored health insurance climbed to $17,496 in 2025, up 6% from the previous year and well above inflation and wage growth, according to Mercer’s 2025 National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans. The Kaiser Family Foundation found premiums for employer-sponsored family health coverage reached nearly $27,000 a year in 2025, with workers contributing $6,850 towards the cost.
