Health insurance is becoming more expensive for both employers and employees, putting greater pressure on benefits decisions. While employers can’t control hospital prices, specialty drug costs, or large claims, they can help address one costly and modifiable health risk: physical inactivity. A healthier workforce won’t stop healthcare costs from rising, but it can give employers a practical way to help manage them.
Healthcare Costs Are Outpacing Inflation and Wage Growth
The latest employer health plan data shows just how quickly those costs are climbing. A national survey found that the average cost of employer-sponsored health insurance rose by 6% in 2025, reaching $17,496 per employee. Costs are expected to increase by another 6.7% in 2026, pushing the average above $18,500 per employee and marking the fastest growth in 15 years.
Higher spending on prescription drugs, especially expensive GLP-1 medications, is one factor driving the increase. Employers also point to chronic conditions, large claims, specialty drugs, cancer care, and increased healthcare utilization as major cost drivers. These trends mean organizations need to balance immediate cost-saving measures with longer-term plans to slow future spending.
Inactivity Has a Price Tag
Physical inactivity may not get as much attention as specialty medications or high-cost claims, but it is closely linked to healthcare costs. A 2025 analysis found that “insufficiently active” adults spend $1,355 more each year on healthcare than those who met aerobic activity guidelines. Among completely inactive adults, the extra cost is $2,025. In total, not getting enough aerobic activity is associated with about $192 billion, or 12.6%, of annual healthcare spending in the U.S.
The numbers aren’t a direct comparison, but they help put things in perspective. Employers expect to spend more than $18,500 per employee on health benefits in 2026, while a lack of physical activity is associated with as much as $2,025 in additional annual healthcare spending per person.
That said, the research has some limits. It looked at adults across the country, not just people in one employer’s health plan, and it relied partly on self-reported activity. The study found an association, not proof that adding a fitness benefit would reduce claims by a certain amount. Even so, the findings suggest that physical inactivity is one modifiable risk factor associated with higher healthcare costs.
Making Movement Easier to Start
Helping employees become more physically active is a realistic goal for employers. Federal guidelines recommend 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week, along with muscle-strengthening activity at least twice weekly. Just as importantly, the guidelines emphasize that some movement is better than none, which can make getting started feel more achievable.
Being active regularly, however, isn’t just a matter of motivation. Demanding work schedules, caregiving responsibilities, ongoing musculoskeletal (MSK) pain, limited access, and not knowing where to start can all make it tough to keep moving. Employers can help by making physical activity more accessible and practical for everyone.
Movement Supports More Than One Health Goal
Making it easier for people to get moving is important because physical activity benefits many areas of health. Regular activity can improve cardiovascular health, sleep, energy, and mental well-being. It can also help prevent or manage chronic conditions that often lead to more healthcare use over time.
Aaptiv: A Practical Investment in Prevention
A healthier workforce won’t stop medical inflation or eliminate expensive claims. But when inactivity is associated with a significant share of healthcare spending, giving employees more ways to be physically active can be a practical part of a broader prevention strategy.
Aaptiv helps make movement easier to fit into daily life with personalized digital workouts, wellness content, and access to more than 20,000 gyms across the U.S. By giving employees more flexible ways to move, Aaptiv can help make physical activity easier to start, easier to maintain, and a more consistent part of everyday health.
Learn more about Aaptiv employee fitness and wellness solutions.
