KFF September 24, 2025
Matt McGough, Shameek Rakshit, Imani Telesford, Jared Ortaliza, Gary Claxton, Lynne Cotter, Cynthia Cox

Small businesses with Affordable Care Act (ACA)-compliant plans could face a median premium increase of 11% for 2026, according to an analysis of preliminary rate filings from 318 insurers across all 50 states and DC. A deep dive into filings from 16 states and D.C. (with a 12% median proposed rate increase) shows that these small group market insurers cite rising health care costs (commonly estimated at about 9%) as the primary driver of the 2026 rate hike, including higher prices for hospital care, physician services, and prescription drugs.

Some...

Today's Sponsors

Venturous
ZeOmega

Today's Sponsor

Venturous

Continue Reading

 
Topics: ACA (Affordable Care Act), Employer, Insurance
Related Articles:
Why cover GLP-1s? They’ll lower employer healthcare costs, study says
Small business health insurance coverage at risk as costs rise, EBRI finds
8 Values That Are Redefining The Workplace Of The Late 2020s
Employer Health Costs: Amid Continual Increases the Cost of Doing Nothing is Too High
Leadership, employee experience big issues for employers in 2026

Share Article