WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. employers expect healthcare costs for their workers to rise 11.1 percent in 2027, the steepest increase in more than two decades, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing a survey by benefits consulting firm WTW.
The projected increase would mark the fifth consecutive year of accelerating growth in employer health-plan costs, according to the survey.
As companies face higher health-plan costs, workers' costs have also been rising roughly in tandem, with more money deducted from their paychecks for insurance premiums, the report said.
Americans with employer-sponsored health coverage are expected to spend an average of 5,297 U.S. dollars on healthcare in 2026, up 388 dollars from 2025, according to an estimate by benefits consulting firm Aon.
The amount includes payroll deductions for insurance premiums as well as out-of-pocket expenses such as deductibles and copayments.
Higher hospital prices, increased use of medical services, expensive cancer treatments and growing use of GLP-1 drugs for diabetes and weight loss are among the factors driving up healthcare costs, the report said. ■