Rising Health Insurance Costs Put New Pressure on Physician Practices—MSSNY Offers Member Support
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- Key Point / Outcome: Employer-sponsored health insurance costs rose 6% in 2025 and are projected to increase another 6.7% in 2026, outpacing wage growth and inflation.
- Why It Matters for New York Physicians: Small and independent practices face growing difficulty sustaining affordable coverage for staff and families.
- Impact on Practice: Higher premiums, reduced benefits, and increased out-of-pocket costs affect recruitment, retention, and financial stability.
- What MSSNY Is Doing: Providing members with access to independent insurance guidance through Creative Wealth Planning.
For physicians already navigating staffing shortages, administrative complexity, and rising operating costs, health insurance affordability has become another growing pressure point. Recent national data shows employer-sponsored health insurance now averages $17,496 per employee, rising 6% in 2025 alone, with another 6.7% increase projected for 2026, well above both wage growth and inflation.
Research from the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) indicates that small employers are driving much of the decline in health plan sponsorship nationwide. As Paul Fronstin, director of health benefits research at EBRI, noted, continued premium growth could accelerate the erosion of coverage among firms with fewer than 100 employees. For physicians in private practice or smaller groups, this trend translates into difficult choices about benefit design, higher deductibles, narrower networks, or absorbing costs that directly affect practice sustainability.
Even when coverage remains available, large employers are increasingly shifting expenses to workers through higher out-of-pocket costs. The result is greater financial insecurity for staff, increased reliance on public programs, and additional strain on physician-led practices striving to remain competitive employers while prioritizing patient care.
MSSNY recognizes that insurance decisions should not become another administrative burden for physicians. As the Voice of New York Physicians, the Society works to connect members with practical tools that protect both their practices and their teams. Through its member benefit partnership with Creative Wealth Planning, MSSNY offers independent guidance on medical, dental, vision, life, disability, long-term care, and Medicare coverage for self-employed physicians, sole proprietors, and groups ranging from two to 500 employees.
Creative Wealth Planning is an independent insurance agency with decades of experience and appointments across major national carriers, including Aetna, Cigna, Humana, UnitedHealthcare, and others. Their advisors assist physicians in evaluating plan options, managing renewals, and supporting staff enrollment—reducing administrative workload while helping practices secure appropriate coverage at sustainable costs.
Your colleagues across the state are facing the same pressures. MSSNY continues to advocate for systemic reform while delivering member benefits that provide immediate, practical support for physicians and their practices. Renewing your membership, or joining for the first time, ensures you remain connected to these resources and strengthens the collective voice of New York physicians working to protect patient care and practice sustainability.
Small Business Health Insurance Coverage at Risk as Costs Rise, EBRI Finds (Christ, HealthcareDive, 1/22).
