Workers paying premiums for family health insurance through their employers are facing a 9 percent increase in 2026, according to the KFF Employer Health Benefits Survey. The nonprofit organization, which conducts the widely cited annual survey, reported that the average annual premium for a family plan rose to $7,471. This marks a sharper rise than the 6 percent and 7 percent increases KFF recorded in recent years. The data indicates that employees at small businesses experienced even larger premium hikes. The survey attributes these cost increases primarily to the overall climbing expense of health care services. Despite the rising costs, employers have absorbed the majority of the financial burden so far.