Health insurance premiums surge 9% as uninsured rates climb in 2026

Benefits Survey, the average monthly premium for a family health plan climbed 9% to $7,471, with the steepest rises. The surge reflects broader inflation in health-care spending, which employers have largely shouldered so far. Meanwhile, the Commonwealth Fund’s Biennial Health Insurance Survey found that the uninsured rate among working-age adults rose from 8.9% in 2024 to 11.2% in 2026, attributing the increase to the expiration of ACA marketplace premium tax credits and the rollback of pandemic-era Medicaid protections.

Half of the newly uninsured said they forwent needed care because of cost concerns. As premiums continue to climb, many small employers are retreating from offering coverage, and analysts predict that additional Medicaid cuts and tighter ACA marketplace rules in 2027 will further limit access to health insurance for Americans.