Employers turn to direct care in 2026 cost crunch
Companies will build more health clinics and hire extra staff next year as medical bills rise across the country. Alliant Insurance Services and the National Association for Workplace Health Care found that 28 percent of firms with existing centers will add locations in 2026, while 54 percent plan to grow their teams. Nearly all businesses surveyed said worker access to doctors drives their strategy as physician shortages push patients toward expensive outside networks.
Employers cut insurance claims by opening offices near job sites and funding direct deals with medical providers. About 89 percent want lower drug and treatment costs, even though every company ranked better care as its top priority. David Keyt leads employer health programs at Alliant and said worksite clinics deliver steady investment returns through healthier workers and controlled spending.
