Small businesses that offer health insurance to their employees could see health costs rise in 2027, according to an analysis of preliminary rate filings from all 50 states and DC. Nearly 300 insurers offering small group coverage reported a median proposed premium increase of 14% for next year.
Small group insurers say rising medical prices, including for hospitalizations, physician care, and prescription drugs, and increased utilization are major drivers of the premium increases. Among the other drivers, insurers point to the continued decline in small group plan enrollment, as more small businesses shift to alternative coverage options like self-insurance or stop offering health coverage altogether to lower costs.
The full analysis and other data on health costs are available on the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, an online information hub dedicated to monitoring and assessing the performance of the U.S. health system.
