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Nearly one in four American workers with employer-sponsored health insurance say they are stuck in jobs they want to leave because they fear losing coverage.

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About 24% of U.S. workers with job-based insurance – roughly 23 million adults – are experiencing “job lock,” up sharply from 16% in 2021, according to a report from the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America.

The survey defines job lock as remaining in a job despite wanting to leave due to concerns about losing health insurance.

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“Job lock is on the rise in America,” the report noted. “Nearly a quarter of U.S. employees report staying in a job they want to leave to keep their health insurance, a powerful constraint on worker mobility, productivity, entrepreneurship and wage growth.”

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The surge comes as soaring healthcare costs squeeze household budgets. 

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About half of Americans said they struggle to consistently pay for needed medical care or prescriptions, while 51% are worried about affording healthcare over the next year — the highest level in five years, as noted in the report.

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Workers under greater financial strain were far more likely to report feeling trapped.

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Among those with medical debt, 44% reported job lock, more than double the 21% rate among those without medical debt.

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Nearly half of respondents who cited healthcare costs as a “major financial burden” reported job lock. The rate rose to 53% among those experiencing “a lot of stress” over medical expenses, the report noted.

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Chronic health problems also made workers more likely to stay at their jobs. 

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About 29% of those with at least one chronic condition reported job lock, compared with 17% of those without one.

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That rate grew to 41% among people with three or more diagnoses.

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Women were also more likely than men to remain in unwanted jobs for health benefits, at 30% compared with 20%, according to the report.

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The findings were based on a national survey of 5,660 adults conducted from Oct. 27 to Dec. 22, 2025. The analysis focused on 2,322 employed adults with employer-sponsored insurance.

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“The effects extend beyond morale – reducing labor market efficiency, upward mobility and quality of life,” as noted in the report. “With coverage tied to employment, a growing share of American workers report making career decisions based on insurance rather than opportunity.”

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LINK: Get updates and more at foxbusiness.com.

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