Health insurance tether: a quarter of Americans stay in jobs to keep coverage

A West Health–Gallup survey finds 24% of American workers feel “job-locked”—staying in their current jobs mainly to retain employer-sponsored health insurance, up 8 points since 2021. The burden is higher for people with medical debt, financial strain from healthcare costs, chronic conditions, and women. As of March 2025, about 60% of people under 65 have employer coverage; premiums averaged $1,440 for single and $6,850 for a family. With pandemic-era subsidies expired, ACA marketplace premiums rose, and a median 2027 increase around 14% is anticipated, which may push more people to remain with job-based plans, underscoring policy challenges around affordable care and labor mobility.