Average Family Health Premium Hits $26,993 — and Employers Are Out of Options (Until Now)
The numbers are in, and they’re not pretty: According to the latest KFF Health Benefits Survey,the average cost of family health coverage for employer-sponsored insurance has climbed to$26,993 — up 6% this year alone.Employees are paying an average of $6,850 per year out-of-pocket, while employers shoulderthe rest. It’s the third consecutive year of near double-digit hikes, outpacing both inflation andwage growth.And the experts aren’t sugarcoating it.“There’s a quiet alarm bell going off,” said Drew Allman, KFF President and CEO. “WithGLP-1s, hospital price increases, and other factors, we expect employer premiums to rise evenmore sharply next year.”In other words: brace for another big hit in 2026.The Cost Drivers: A Perfect StormThe pressure on employer health costs is coming from all sides:• Drug Prices: Especially new high-cost drugs like GLP-1s for weight loss and diabetes,which many employers are now covering.• Hospital Costs: Rising facility and labor expenses continue to drive overall planinflation.• Chronic Disease and Utilization: More employees are using more healthcare, moreoften.• Tariffs and Inflation: Economic conditions are rippling directly into healthcare pricing.Even large employers — those with 200 or more employees — say these are the biggest driversof rising costs. And when premiums climb faster than wages, there’s only so much room left toabsorb the hit.KFF warns that many companies will once again resort to higher deductibles and cost-sharing,a tactic that neither employers nor employees like — but use when they feel cornered.A New Path Forward: Real Savings, No Trade-OffsFortunately, there’s a better solution — and it’s already working for small, medium, and evenlarge employers across the country.Chris Attaway Consulting helps employers cut costs, increase profits, and boost employeetake-home pay, all while improving benefits — and without changing your current insuranceprovider, broker, or vendor relationships.Our strategy works across all types of benefit setups:✅ No Coverage: We help you finally offer meaningful health benefits at no net cost tothe company.✅ Fully Funded Group Plans: We reduce employer and employee expenses whileupgrading benefit quality.✅ Level-Funded & Self-Funded Plans: We integrate seamlessly, optimizing planefficiency, reducing claims, and moving utilization from your major medical plan to ourstrategy. This change alone is HUGE for your pocket and it increases employee benefitsat the same time.✅ “Copay-Only” or Hybrid Plans: Even these newer models benefit — we cut out-ofpocket costs and strengthen coverage value.And unlike traditional “cost containment” solutions, you don’t have to switch carriers,vendors, or benefit structures.You can keep everything exactly as it is — and still see guaranteed savings.Proof That It WorksEmployers who implement our strategy typically experience:• Lower employer payroll and healthcare costs (min $573.60 per employee per year, butit could be 3x or 4x that)• Higher employee take-home pay• Reduced out-of-pocket medical expenses• Improved employee satisfaction and retentionAnd here’s the kicker:Some of our clients haven’t had a rate increase in more than six years — while the rest of themarket has faced annual hikes like this one.The TakeawayThe average family premium is nearly $27,000 and rising — and most companies feel likethey’re out of moves.But with Chris Attaway Consulting, you can finally stop playing defense against the nextinsurance renewal. Our proven strategy lets you lower costs, strengthen benefits, and boost employee morale —without spending a dime or changing a thing.📅 Book your 15-minute strategy session: calendar.chrisattaway.comLet’s make next year the first one your costs go down — not up.
