2025
9
US Health Insurance Market Report 2025
2026-01-08T12:02:04+00:00
REPE79E20F4_28D2_4983_9318_858644EDC589
4995
190186
[{"name":"Insurance","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/industries\/financial-services\/insurance"},{"name":"Market Intelligence Reports","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/report-type\/market-intelligence-reports"},{"name":"US","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/markets\/us-market-research"}]
Report
en_GB
The U.S. health insurance market in 2025 is shaped by demographic shifts and evolving consumer needs. The over 65s now make up 18.7% of the population, driving demand for healthcare…
US
Insurance
simple

US Health Insurance Market Report 2025

"Health insurance is evolving. Insurers adapting to consumer priorities like transparency, digital convenience, and personalized care will best meet market demands."

Radha Paleja, Senior Analyst, Financial Services

Radha Paleja, Senior Analyst, Financial Services

US Health Insurance Industry – Trends and Insights

  • The US health insurance market in 2025 is shaped by demographic shifts and evolving consumer needs. The over 65s now make up 18.7% of the population, driving demand for healthcare services and increasing costs for insurers and insured individuals.
  • Rising unemployment (4.4% in September 2025) highlights gaps in employer-sponsored coverage, creating opportunities for insurers to address unmet needs. Medicare has surpassed employer-sponsored plans as the leading coverage type, driven by Medicare Advantage advertising and an aging population.
  • Consumers increasingly value transparency, digital tools, and personalized plans. Boomers and Gen X prioritize trusted providers and continuity, while Gen Z and Millennials favor affordability, flexibility, and recommendations from peers.
  • Digital tools like mobile apps for medical records, telehealth, and scheduling are now essential for convenience and control. Insurers must focus on cost transparency, tapping into how much consumers today rely on social proof when making healthcare decisions, and enhancing digital offerings to build trust and loyalty. By addressing these needs, insurers can thrive in a competitive, consumer-driven market.

Collapse All
  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for the US health insurance market
    • Opportunities
    • Build trust through transparency
    • Leverage social proof
    • Enhance digital offerings
  2. THE MARKET

    • Aging population will drive the need for healthcare
    • Graph 1: population of adults over the age of 65, predictive, by year, 2025-40
    • Slightly increased unemployment signals gap in coverage
    • Graph 2: unemployment rate, 2020-25
    • Medicare is the most common health insurance
    • Graph 3: type of health insurance currently owned, by year, 2023-25
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Factors in choice of health insurer and plan
    • Consumers seek reputable health insurers that fit seamlessly into their lives
    • Growing importance of staying in network with chosen healthcare providers
    • Graph 4: top three factors in choice of health insurer, 2025
    • Leverage the power of recommendations to reach younger generations
    • Graph 5: select factors in choice of health insurer, by generation, 2025
    • Reassure through transparancy
    • The cheapest plan is not always the best
    • Graph 6: select factors in choice of health insurer, by financial situation, 2025
    • Autonomy of choice drives decisions
    • Graph 7: select factors in choice of health insurance plan, by all and generation, 2025
    • Non-parents prioritize choice while parents value benefits
    • Graph 8: select factors in choice of health insurance plan, by parental status, 2025
    • Medicare enrollment behaviors
    • Simplifying plans and highlighting brand loyalty create opportunities for Medicare enrollment
    • More clarity is needed around Medicare plans
    • Graph 9: top five Medicare enrollment behaviors, 2025
    • Valuable health insurance app features
    • Consumers value visibility and ease of access in a health insurers’ mobile app
    • Consumers want control over their health needs
    • Graph 10: valuable mobile app features, 2025
    • Boomers want visibility into records while Gen X want accessible care
    • Graph 11: select valuable mobile app features, by generation, 2025
    • Health plan behaviors
    • Consumers are satisfied with their providers
    • Consumers want rewards for leading healthy lifestyles
    • Graph 12: health plan behaviors, select health engagement and incentive statements, by all and generation, 2025
    • Consumers are well informed about their insurance options
    • Graph 13: health plan behaviors, select cost awareness and decision making statements, by all and financial situation, 2025
    • Attitudes toward health insurance
    • Consumers are increasingly trusting of their providers
    • Graph 14: trust in insurance provider over time, 2021-25*
    • Factors leading to increased provider trust
    • Graph 15: select agreement statements contributing to trust over time, 2021-25*
    • Simplify complex processes to build trust
    • Graph 16: attitudes toward health insurance, select understanding statements, by all and generation, 2025
    • Although consumers are trusting of their providers, more transparency is needed
    • Engage younger consumers through connection and technology
    • Graph 17: attitudes toward health insurance, select engagement and technology statements, by all and generation, 2025
  4. INNOVATION AND MARKETING

    • Building trust through cost transparency
    • Customizable plans: adapting to consumers’ evolving lives
    • Building trust: positioning insurers as pillars of support
  5. APPENDIX

    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology

Market Intelligence Made Easier With Mintel

The first Mintel Market Intelligence report was published over 50 years ago. Since then, we have provided our unique insights and understanding of consumers, innovation and global markets to thousands of customers worldwide. Here’s why our customers rely on Mintel:

  • Gain a comprehensive, 360-degree view of the market: Mintel reports blend consumer research, market forecasts, product innovation tracking, and competitive analysis, allowing businesses to see every angle of their industry and identify new opportunities quickly.
  • Make decisions with confidence, grounded in robust data: Each report draws on up-to-date, reliable information from trusted sources and industry experts, ensuring your strategies are based on solid evidence rather than speculation.
  • Benefit from expert analysis and practical recommendations: Mintel’s reports are written by experienced analysts who interpret complex data and provide clear, actionable insights you can trust to guide your next moves.
  • Stay ahead with actionable intelligence on market trends and consumer behaviour: By combining fresh research with long-term market monitoring, our reports help businesses anticipate changes and adapt strategically. So you’re prepared to make informed decisions and drive growth.

What goes into a Mintel Market Intelligence Report?

Curious about how a Market Intelligence report comes together? We like to think of it as building a detailed puzzle. We start with individual pieces: data from consumers, market statistics, industry trends, and online conversations. Then our expert analysts add world-class human insight and industry knowledge. The pieces are assembled to reveal a clear, comprehensive picture of a market.

The Four Pillars of Our Research

We use a combination of four main research methods when creating our reports, each adding a valuable perspective:

  • Consumer Research: Direct surveys with real people, giving us clear, current insights into what people think and do.
  • Desk Research: In-depth review of trusted data sources. We use this rich database, plus powerful internal tools that track new products and market sizes, to detect trends and guide forecasts.
  • Trade Research: Insights from conversations with industry experts. Their real-world experience helps us understand what’s happening behind the scenes.
  • Brand and Social Media Research: Analysis of online opinions and trends. This lets us spot trends, measure brand sentiment, and capture feedback in real time, adding further depth to our research.

Bringing It All Together

Each of these four pillars provides a different piece of the puzzle. Consumer research tells us what customers think, desk research provides the factual framework, trade research offers an insider’s view, and social media analysis reveals public sentiment.

Our expert analysts are skilled in weaving these diverse data streams together. They apply a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to uncover the deeper story, connecting the dots to deliver clear, actionable insights. This comprehensive, multi-layered process is how we transform raw data into a market intelligence report you can trust to inform your most important business decisions.

$ 4,995 (Excl.Tax)
  • Download today with instant access
  • Multiple formats provided
  • Interactive databook included
  • Save 20% when you purchase two or more reports
Add to cart

Next Starts Here

Whatever your business needs, we have the solution. From market intelligence reports to customised growth strategies.

Learn more

Trusted by global industry leaders

Abacus logo

There is no question that Mintel is the go-to resource for the best quality market research, but I did not think it was an affordable option for Abacus Marketing to consider. As a small marketing agency, we only work with a few new clients each year.

However, we have a very high-end consultative approach to our work, so we really do need a partner like Mintel to provide the big agency experience we are always aiming to deliver. Our clients come from an incredibly diverse range of industry sectors, so we obviously need access to market research reports from a very wide spectrum of marketplaces – and that is precisely what we got.

Stephen Taylor-Brown, Managing Director, Abacus
Waitrose & Partners logo

We’ve found it so useful working more closely with Mintel. They helped support our recent flagship event for our top suppliers by providing a really unique viewpoint on the future of online retailing.

Nick Carroll from their Retail Team was also an excellent panelist, sharing useful and actionable consumer insights. We definitely look forward to working with Mintel again on future projects.

Zac Steele, E-Commerce Trading Development Manager, Waitrose & Partners
Deutsch logo

One of the biggest challenges we face is the need to get smart on a business or category real quick.

We are talking to clients who live and breathe their category every day and the expectation is that we will be able to get caught up very quickly, and bring the thinking that can help them.

We need to do that often in a matter of days, so it’s not a small ask. Mintel gives us a very articulate view of category conditions and does so at the speed we need it.

Jeff White, Business Development Director, Deutsch
Epsilon logo

We utilize Mintel Reports, Trends and Comperemedia to mine for insights across the numerous business verticals that Epsilon serves, such as CPG, automotive, telecom, healthcare/pharma, retail and financial services.

By integrating Mintel insight into new business opportunities, we have been able to gain the competitive edge necessary to advance partnerships with global brands and key business players.

For our organization, it’s about depth and breadth. Having one without the other doesn’t enable success in our business.

Virginia Harvey, Secondary Research Manager, Epsilon
Bauer Media Group logo

We have such a great working relationship with Mintel on lots of different levels. As an insight partner, they have helped us to develop our business planning in specific categories as well as supporting our creative process but they’ve also been super helpful with facilitating our events in their inspirational offices near St Paul’s.

They’re an innovative company, with a client-focused team that always delivers.

Abby Carvosso, Group Managing Director, Bauer Media Group

Next Starts Here

Whatever your business needs, we have the solution. From market intelligence reports to customised growth strategies.

Learn more