eHealth, Inc. said small and mid-sized employers are facing a sharp jump in health insurance costs for 2027, with its survey of more than 500 business owners and managers finding that 54% expect premium increases of at least 10% and more than one in five face hikes of 15% or higher. Aon plc projected that U.S. employer healthcare costs will rise 9.5% in 2027 before employers take steps to rein in expenses, while Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. expects an even steeper 11% increase before cost-control measures, moderating to 8.2% after planned benefit changes, which would mark the sharpest increase in employer health benefit costs since 2003. Marsh found that 59% of employers plan benefit changes, including higher deductibles, and said GLP-1 drugs alone are projected to contribute roughly one percentage point to health benefit cost growth in 2027. eHealth CEO Derrick Duke said rising costs are making it harder for employers to use health benefits to attract and retain workers, and the company sees growing interest in Custom Health Option and Individual Care Expense Arrangements, also known as Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements. Among companies facing rate increases, 80% said the size of the hike surprised them, 73% are considering moving away from traditional group coverage in 2027, 85% worry they may be unable to afford group coverage within three years, and awareness of CHOICE Arrangements rose to 57% from 46% a year earlier. Centene Corporation said ICHRA adoption among businesses rose 34% from 2024 to 2025, and through Ambetter Health Solutions it is targeting the opportunity with ICHRA-compatible plans available in 13 states in 2026, while UnitedHealth Group Incorporated more than quadrupled its off-exchange individual plan offerings in 2026 and entered 20 additional states.
eHealth Inc
Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.
Aon PLC
Centene Corp
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated