Many Avoid Healthcare Costs Because They Are Unaffordable Even With Insurance

In response to these pressures on employers and employees alike, the SBAM Board has called attention to the growing healthcare cost crisis and urged policymakers to pursue solutions that make coverage more affordable for small businesses and their workers. Read more.

A large portion of U.S. employees with health insurance are skipping or delaying care because they can’t afford it, jeopardizing their well-being and productivity at work.  That’s according to a new study by Paytient, which examines the impact of insured employees delaying or forgoing care due to cost. Forty percent of workers with employer-sponsored plans say they have put off medical treatment because it was too expensive.   The study, titled “The Hidden Lives of Workplace Insured Americans,” also found that 39% of employees delayed primary care due to cost, while 56% went without dental treatment and 48% put off specialist referrals. The downstream financial impact of these decisions can be significant: Non-adherence is estimated to account for up to 69% of medication-related hospitalizations, which costs the healthcare system roughly $100 billion per year, according to the report. Why unaffordable? Over the last 25 years, the cost of employer-sponsored health insurance has become disconnected from worker pay at a staggering rate — total family premiums rose by 342% and worker contributions increased by 308%. During that same period, average worker earnings grew by only 119%.

By ASE Staff, courtesy of SBAM-approved partner, ASE. Source: EBN 4/16/26

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