Willis Towers Watson’s survey of 6,000 U.S. employees found that the share feeling financially secure fell from 46% to 36% in 2026, its lowest level in seven years. About one-third of respondents said they delayed or skipped medical or dental care in the past year because of cost, despite having insurance. Workers in their 40s reported the greatest strain: more than 40% said they delayed or skipped care, and only 30% felt financially secure. The findings describe survey responses, not a government policy or a complete account of workers’ finances. The excerpt provides no policy deadlines, fees, compliance rules or oversight plan.
TLDR: A Willis Towers Watson survey found lower reported financial security and widespread cost-related delays in medical or dental care among insured employees. Workers in their 40s reported the highest rate of delayed or skipped care, while the excerpt identifies no new government policy or implementation plan.
Financial security among U.S. employees fell to its lowest level in seven years in 2026, according to a survey by benefits company Willis Towers Watson. The findings also show that many workers say they delayed or skipped medical and dental care because of cost, even though they had health insurance. The survey documents reported financial pressures; it does not announce a new government policy.
The excerpt gives no official policy rationale because it describes research findings, not a policy change. Willis Towers Watson surveyed 6,000 U.S. employees to assess financial security and related concerns. Its results are evidence about what respondents said, not proof that every worker faces the same conditions or that one specific cause explains the trend.
WTW reported that the share of employees who felt financially secure declined from 46% to 36% in 2026. The firm described that figure as the lowest in seven years. Respondents reported improvements in physical well-being and social connections, but a worsening sense of well-being around money. The survey also found that financial strain affects workers’ views of healthcare, retirement and their performance on the job.
One finding concerns routine care. About one-third of employees across age groups said they had put off or skipped a medical or dental appointment in the past year because of cost. Respondents said they had health insurance, but that coverage did not prevent the reported decisions to delay care. The survey does not provide a count of appointments missed or a dollar total for the costs workers faced.
Courtney Stubblefield, a WTW health and benefits practice leader, told CBS News that workers face high deductibles and high out-of-pocket costs. She said those features are becoming barriers to getting care. The survey excerpt does not break down the reported costs by plan type, employer or location, so it cannot show which coverage arrangements contributed most to the delays.
The results were particularly concerning for people in their 40s. Only 30% of workers in that age group said they felt financially secure, compared with half of workers aged 60 and over. More than 40% of respondents in their 40s said they had delayed or skipped medical care over money worries, the highest share among the age groups described.
Stubblefield said mid-career workers often carry several family obligations at once. They may have children, family health coverage, and responsibility for aging parents. She noted that family coverage can cost more and that people in this “sandwich generation” may also be supporting children in school or approaching college. The figures identify a pattern in survey responses; they do not establish that every worker in their 40s has those responsibilities.
Retirement concerns add another part of the picture. Roughly two in three employees said they expected to be worse off in retirement than their parents’ generation, citing healthcare costs as a barrier to saving. That is a reported expectation, not a forecast of what those employees’ retirement finances will ultimately be.
Separate research from Prudential Financial found that more than six in 10 retirees with at least $500,000 in investable assets did not feel comfortable spending money for enjoyment. Many cited inflation, the rising cost of living and healthcare costs as reasons to limit entertainment spending. This separate finding concerns a different group and should not be treated as a direct measure of the WTW respondents’ finances.
Federal Reserve data in the excerpt offer a further comparison across ages. The 18 million households headed by someone aged 75 or older had the highest median net worth of any age group nationwide, with a median of $504,000 in 2025. Households headed by people aged 65 to 74 saw wealth rise 37% between 2022 and 2025, the Fed concluded. Those wealth figures describe household net worth; they do not show whether older households feel secure or can readily pay for care.
The practical impacts reported here are high deductibles, high out-of-pocket healthcare costs, and delayed or skipped appointments among insured employees. The survey gives no specific fees, forms, compliance rules, enforcement measures or deadlines, and it identifies no new government action. Workers across age groups reported delaying care, with respondents in their 40s reporting the highest share. No policy implementation timetable or oversight process is provided in the excerpt.
The next step described in the material is limited to the findings themselves: WTW’s survey reports employees’ stated financial concerns, while the Federal Reserve and Prudential findings provide separate comparisons. No government deadline or compliance review is identified. Those details remain outside the reported story, and the available evidence does not establish that experts have resolved the financial barriers workers described.
Max Grant serves as the Senior Correspondent for Data and Financial Forensics at Just Right News, where he brings a meticulous, investigative eye to the complex world of numbers. In an era where media narratives often overshadow objective reality, Max operates on a simple but firm principle: while rhetoric can be manipulated, the ledger never lies. As the architect behind the acclaimed feature series “Numbers That Talk,” he has carved out a vital niche in conservative journalism, translating dense financial data into clear, actionable insights for the American public.
Max’s journey to the forefront of financial reporting began in Buffalo, New York. Growing up in the Queen City, he was raised with the grit and grounded perspective typical of the Rust Belt. Buffalo is a place that understands the value of a dollar and the consequences of economic shifts on the working class. This upbringing instilled in Max a deep-seated respect for fiscal responsibility and a healthy skepticism toward bureaucratic overreach. He carries the spirit of his hometown into every investigation, viewing his work not just as reporting, but as a form of public service dedicated to protecting the interests of taxpayers and everyday citizens.
Now based in Brooklyn, New York, Max operates from the heart of one of the world’s most influential financial and cultural hubs. This vantage point allows him to keep a close watch on the institutions that drive the global economy. Living and working in a city often defined by progressive policy experiments, Max provides a necessary counter-perspective, using his forensic skills to analyze the real-world costs of local and national governance. His proximity to the financial district ensures he is never far from the source of the data he deconstructs, yet he remains firmly rooted in the conservative values that prioritize transparency and individual liberty.
His beat, Data and Financial Forensics, is more than just a job title; it is a commitment to uncovering the truth hidden within spreadsheets and annual reports. In “Numbers That Talk,” Max dives deep into federal spending, corporate accountability, and the intricate web of international finance. He has a unique ability to spot the anomalies that others miss, identifying where public funds are being mismanaged or where economic policies are failing to deliver on their promises. His reporting is characterized by a relentless pursuit of clarity, stripping away the jargon to show readers exactly how their money is being used and how the economy is truly performing.
At Just Right News, Max Grant is recognized as a steady hand and a sharp mind. He understands that for a free society to function, its citizens must have access to the facts regarding their financial future. By combining his British heritage’s tradition of rigorous inquiry with an American drive for accountability, Max ensures that the numbers don’t just sit on a page—they tell the story of where the country has been and where it is headed. His work stands as a testament to the power of forensic journalism in holding the powerful to account and championing the principles of a transparent, fiscally sound nation.