This Week

The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.

Workers Now Pay $7,471 on Average Annually for Family Health Coverage, Up 9% or $621 from 2025

KFF’s 2026 Employer Health Benefits Survey finds that workers contribute an average of $7,471 annually toward premiums for employer-sponsored family coverage, up 9%, or $621, from 2025. Including employers’ contributions, total annual premiums for family coverage now average $28,303, a 5% increase from last year. The survey also examines trends in deductibles, offer rates, and employer practices, including coverage of GLP-1 medications and IVF, as well as employers’ efforts to understand health care costs and utilization. Read the findings →

KFF Health News looks at what rising premiums mean for employers and workers. Read the story →

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KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust: Fall 2026 Update on Vaccine Views

The latest KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust finds about half of parents mistakenly believe spacing out vaccines is healthier for children, while confidence in many long-standing childhood vaccines is high across partisans. These findings take on new relevance following President Trump's recent executive order calling for changes in U.S. childhood vaccine recommendations, including splitting the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine—currently given as a single combined shot—into three separate vaccines across multiple visits. Explore the findings →

The latest issue of The Monitor also examines findings from the poll, including declining confidence in the safety of COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy and widespread uncertainty about false claims linking vaccination to miscarriage. Read The Monitor →

Midterm Election Update: Medicaid Changes

Major federal changes to Medicaid eligibility and financing from the 2025 reconciliation law are coming, including new work requirements that will affect millions of Medicaid enrollees. KFF’s fact sheet provides an overview of what has changed, what is still ahead, and what the public thinks about Medicaid heading into the midterms.

See what's changing →

Find more policy research, polling, and news from across KFF about election-related health care issues.

What the Health? Podcast: Medicaid Is Now a Campaign Issue

With the midterm elections approaching, Democrats are highlighting Medicaid cuts included in last year’s sweeping tax and spending law, even though many of the reductions won’t take effect until after the elections. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is ramping up efforts to combat fraud in federal health programs. This week’s What the Health? panel discusses these developments and their implications for the upcoming elections.

Listen to the episode →