2026年健康趋势：平衡成本控制与福利优化

HealthTrends2026 Balancing costcontrol with benefitsoptimization Balancing cost control with benefits optimization Employer-provided health plans face another year of intensepressure. Medical trends are projected to rise in the double digitsacross most markets through 2026, continuing the course wehave seen in recent years. Meanwhile, the underlying drivers ofthese higher costs — including increased utilization from higher opportunities, focusing on how employers andinsurers can manage costs while optimizingbenefits. The goal is clear: to improve affordability,expand protection, and widen the scope of benefits health plan risk has become crucial. Now is thetime for employers to adopt strategic measuresthat can manage costs and optimize spendingto protect plan sustainability. At the same time,coverage continues to lag relative to real-world to explore key trends shaping employer-providedhealth benefits. The survey was conducted inJune and July 2025. Healthtrendoverview Medical trend rates remainpersistently high. After averagingclose to 11% globally in 2024and 2025, insurers are againforecasting, for 2026, an 11%year-over-year cost increase for Drivers of medical trend Rising planutilization driven byaging populationsand the growing Dependence onimported medicalgoods and services Healthcare staffshortages delayingaccess to primarycare and bringinggreater reliance on Pressures on publichealth systems,particularly inEurope, leading morepeople to use theirHigher-costtreatments, notablyadvanced cancertherapies, addingcomplexity to The impact of tradepolicy changes job losses, inflation, interest rates, and currencyexchange fluctuations that also impact benefitplans, specifically medical trend rates. More thanhalf (52%) of insurers expect tariffs and supplychain disruptions will have a significant or very plan update projected to increase by 6.5% in 2026, the highestannual increase since 2010, even after accountingfor planned cost-reduction efforts. This marks thefourth consecutive year of elevated health benefitcost growth, driven by rising prices for services andincreased utilization, partly due to delayed caredrugs — provider consolidation, and inflation arecontributing to higher costs.To lower cost increases in 2026, many employerswill make cost-cutting changes such as raisingdeductibles. At the same time, many are also The findings are based on employer responsesto Mercer’s 2025 National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans. pursuing longer-term strategies to slow costgrowth that don’t shift more responsibility for cost Spotlight on Africa rising demand for preventive and mental healthcare are reshaping employee benefits.•Adapting preventive services to local cultural norms like Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa,is pushingemployers towards lower-cost insurance plans,such as plans that cover primary care only orhospitals only. However, despite efforts to reduce•Embracing total wellbeing approachesthat support physical, mental andfinancial health expand delivery channels, both digitaland in-person relevant education and communications the rise, with a growing demand for employeeassistance programs (EAPs) to provide moreholistic care. The need for localized, in-personmental health services is increasingly urgent,particularly in conflict-affected areas where virtual•Encouraging access to preventivecare through on-site health services seeking care. The 2024 global top causes of health plan claimsby both dollar amount and frequency remainlargely unchanged from Health Trends reportsin recent years, although it is worth notingthat musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions have conditions such as back pain, arthritis, andrepetitive strain injuries, which may be linkedto aging populations, rising levels of obesity,increasingly sedentary lifestyles attributed to Top health risks the largest drivers of medical costs globally;mental health and psychosocial risks also continueto rank highly. This year, occupational risk enteredthe top five risk factors. This includes work-relatedfactors, such as long working hours, exposure to Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions affect the joints, or chronic pain, reduced mobility, and dexterity,often restricting people’s ability to work and fullyparticipate in daily life. Common MSK conditionsinclude arthritis, fractures and joint problems, butlower back pain is one of the most prevalent.worldwide. It affects people across all stagesof life and is a near-universal health issue.In 2020, an estimated 619 million people wereaffected, a figure projected to rise to 843 millionby 2050. Lower back pain treatments can be well beyond increased healthcare costs — lowerback pain is one of the leading contributorsto workplace absence, early retirement andreduced productivity. Health Trends 2026: Balancing costcontrol with benefits optimization. Drivers of lowerback pain of developing lower back pain,including: of regular physical activity•Excess body weight•Smoking and