Healthcare costs are projected to increase by about 10% globally in 2027, matching 2026 levels and continuing to significantly outpace projected global inflation of 3.7%
Healthcare costs are projected to increase by about 10% globally in 2027, matching 2026 levels and continuing to significantly outpace projected global inflation of 3.7%.
For employer-sponsored healthcare programs, the challenge is no longer managing a single year of cost inflation, but addressing the cumulative impact of sustained healthcare cost growth on benefits budgets, workforce strategy, and total rewards investment.
Our latest research explores the factors driving healthcare costs and what employers can do to respond.
Key Insights
01
10% global healthcare cost trend projected for 2027:
Healthcare costs continue to significantly outpace inflation across most markets.
02
Cancer and cardiovascular disease remain leading cost drivers:
High-cost treatments, ongoing care requirements, and increasing treatment complexity continue to drive spend.
03
Treatment complexity, health innovation, and unit prices are key influencers:
High-cost medications, new therapies, provider pricing, and advanced treatment pathways suggest plan sponsors need to better understand unit cost and treatment mix, not just utilization.
04
Traditional cost containment approaches may not be enough:
Leading employers are starting to look beyond program renewals to analytics, prevention, health management, and workforce insights.
05
Understanding health risk versus financial risk is important:
The most common conditions are not always the greatest plan-related risks. An employer’s exposure depends on treatment pathways, funding, coverage, and market structure.
Download the report
Get the latest global healthcare cost projections, regional trends, emerging risks, and practical actions employers can take to improve the sustainability of their health and benefits programs.
