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Global insurer survey report

Health Trends 2027

Balancing cost control with benefits optimization

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Employer-provided health plans face intense pressure as projected medical trend is double-digits across most markets through 2027. Underlying medical plan cost drivers include increased utilization from higher incidence of health conditions and advanced technologies. 

Our Health Trends global research, surveying 306 insurers across 69 markets, reveals the key challenges and opportunities shaping employer health and benefits strategy today — distilled into three critical trends.

Key insights into top trends that will shape your health and benefits program for 2027

  1. Medical trend remains elevated, with double-digit rates persisting for another year.
  2. Insurers are increasingly concerned about concentrated, high-impact cost drivers that are difficult to manage with broad strategies.
  3. Insurers expect plan sponsors to focus on moderate cost control and value optimization.

Use the Health Trends 2027 report to:

Our global report shows employers how to move beyond simply cutting coverage — toward a more deliberate strategy that controls costs while optimizing the value benefits deliver to employees and the business.

Read our latest Health Trends 2027 Summary Report

Top findings from our survey

High healthcare costs are now structural, not temporary. The trend hits 10.1% in 2027 — the seventh straight double-digit year. Employers should plan for sustained pressure, not a one-off renewal spike.

AI cuts both ways. Most insurers (55%) expect it to lower costs through automation and fraud detection — but it can also raise them via new tech spend and higher utilization. AI isn't an automatic win; it requires employer oversight.

Cutting coverage alone isn't sustainable. A third of insurers expect employers to shift toward optimizing value instead — spending smarter, not just less. There's no single fix; the right lever mix depends on each workforce.

Cancer is still the top cost driver (70% of insurers), and advanced treatments are raising the stakes. Yet fewer than half of plans cover key screenings. Employers should support the full journey — prevention through survivorship — not just treatment.

Download Health Trends 2027

The goal is clear: to effectively manage risk and cost, improve affordability, expand protection, and widen the scope of benefits to better meet employee needs. Want to learn more?

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