Forecasts and Drivers of Rising Health Care Costs in 2026
The source provides an extensive overview of the alarming increase in United States health care costs, projecting rises from 6.5% to over 10% in 2026 based on multiple surveys from organizations like Mercer and PwC. Key factors driving this trend include the surging popularity and high cost of GLP-1 drugs for conditions like diabetes and weight loss, and the expansion of specialty medications, particularly innovative but expensive cell and gene therapies. Additional contributors to the financial burden are the growing prevalence of chronic health conditions, the increasing demand and costs associated with an aging population, and the rising expenses for cancer care. Finally, the document notes that medical inflation is outpacing general inflation, compounded by a health care labor shortage that translates into higher costs for both employers and employees.
