In context: this report covers a source published on 22 Oct 2026.
Workers with employer-sponsored family health coverage in the United States now pay an average of $7,471 a year towards their premiums, an increase of 9%, or $621, from 2025, KFF reported on 22 October. The figure comes from its 28th annual Employer Health Benefits Survey, which covered more than 1,900 employers with at least 10 workers.
The total annual premium for family coverage, including the employer's share, averages $28,303, an increase of 5%, or $1,310. Over the same year, wages rose 3.7% and general inflation 2.7%. Since 2021, family premiums have risen 28% and worker contributions 26%, against wage growth of 27% and inflation of 24%.
The gap between small and large employers is wide. Covered workers at small firms pay $9,687 a year for family cover, $2,847 more than at firms with at least 200 workers, and KFF puts their average deductible at $2,624, against $1,772 at larger firms. Among workers who face an annual deductible for single coverage, the average is $1,955, close to $1,886 in 2025.
On GLP-1 drugs, 18% of large firms cover them specifically for weight loss. Few employers that do not cover them plan to start: 1% say they are very likely and 13% somewhat likely to do so in the next year.
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KFF ↗Industry body · 22 Oct 2026
This is an original brief based on the linked publication. Company statements and forecasts are attributed to their source.
