Rising health costs push US employers toward employee-purchased plans via HRAs
With health-plan prices rising at the fastest pace in 15 years, more US employers are dropping traditional group-health coverage in favor of Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs/ICHRA). In 2026, over 20,000 companies adopted HRAs, a 53% jump from 2025, giving workers stipends to buy their own plans on ACA marketplaces or other exchanges. HRAs shift cost and decision-making to employees, who face higher deductibles and varying network access, while ACA premiums also rose about 20% after subsidy terms changed.