Health insurance prices in the U.S. have been spiraling for four consecutive years, and employers are now bracing for the highest spike yet in 2025—the biggest increase in 15 years, according to a wide-ranging survey of more than 1,700 employers. The National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans by Mercer, a subsidiary of Marsh McLennan, is part of the advisory firm’s services to help employers manage health insurance costs while seeking to improve employee health and well-being.
Sunit Patel, Mercer’s US Chief Actuary for Health and Benefits, said two factors are combining to send costs higher. “Health benefit cost trend has two primary components — healthcare price and utilization. Right now, both are rising.”
