Americans with health insurance through their jobs paid significantly more for coverage in 2026, with workers at small businesses hit hardest, according to KFF’s annual Employer Health Benefits Survey released Thursday, the Associated Press reported.
Workers with family coverage paid an average of $7,471 toward their premiums this year, up about 9%, or $621, from last year. Employees at firms with 10 to 99 workers typically pay a larger share than those at big companies.
Nearly 157 million Americans under 65 rely on employer coverage. The findings come as health costs weigh on voters: an October AP-NORC poll found about 7 in 10 registered voters call health care one of the most important issues in this election.
Sources: AP via KTAR News. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Jacek Halicki / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
