US health systems' annual healthcare spend per employee rises 8.8%, Aon survey finds
AON•Aon's 2026 hospital benefits survey found annual healthcare spending per employee rose 8.8% year over year among participating U.S. health systems. Rising costs were a concern for 92% of participants, and high-cost claims accounted for 39.2% of medical plan costs.
1. Spending and claims
Annual healthcare spending per employee rose 8.8% year over year among U.S. health systems participating in Aon's 2026 hospital benefits survey. Members with annual medical claims above $100,000 made up a median 1.2% of membership but accounted for 39.2% of medical plan costs.
2. Cost management
Rising healthcare costs were a top concern for 92% of participating systems. Pharmacy strategies were a primary cost-management focus for 79%, and 38% used predictive analytics to identify potential high-cost claimants. Among systems covering GLP-1s for weight loss, 92% used management strategies, up from 72% in 2025.
