Reuters reported on 16 July that more than half of large employers in the US are planning to reduce their healthcare benefits in 2026, as the “skyrocketing cost of new weight-loss and speciality medicines puts unprecedented pressure on budgets”.
According to a survey 51% of employers with 500 or more workers and 45% of large employers intend to increase cost-sharing measures in 2026. This includes raising deductibles and the maximum out-of-pocket costs that employees must pay.
The survey also revealed that 77% of employers name weight-loss drugs like Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Zepbound. as a top financial concern.