24% of US workers stay for health insurance

A significant and growing number of American workers feel trapped in jobs they would otherwise leave because they fear losing their health insurance, according to a major new survey released on July 22, 2026. The research indicates that roughly one in four employees with employer-sponsored insurance, or about 24 percent, are staying in unwanted positions primarily to maintain their coverage, a sharp increase from 16 percent in 2021.

The survey, conducted by the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America between October 27 and December 22, 2025, involved over 5,600 U.S. adults and focused on 2,322 employed adults who rely on their job for health insurance. Experts point to rising healthcare costs and diminished alternatives as key drivers of this "job lock." The expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies at the end of 2025, which had expanded access to marketplace coverage, has led to expectations of higher premiums, while changes to Medicaid eligibility have amplified insurance concerns. These factors have made employer-sponsored plans more valuable and alternatives less accessible, according to health policy analysts.

The phenomenon is not evenly distributed...