Becker's Healthcare July 18, 2025
Healthcare costs for commercial payers are projected to rise by as much as 8.5% in 2026, driven by ongoing inflationary pressures, utilization of inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services, and prescription drug spending, according to a new report from PwC’s Health Research Institute.
The July 16 report is based on surveys and interviews with actuaries at 24 U.S. health plans covering 125 million group plan members and 12 million individual plan members.
Based on the input from actuaries, PwC projects healthcare costs for commercial payers will increase 8.5% year over year in the group market and 7.5% in the individual market.
“Commercial payers in 2026 will be asked to continue paying the ballooning bill for medical services and...
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