Nearly one in four U.S. workers – about 23 million adults – are staying put in jobs they want to leave because of the fear of losing healthcare coverage, according to a recent study. 

Research from the West Health-Gallup Center on Health in America based its findings on survey responses from thousands of U.S. adults submitted in the last quarter of 2025, according to a release.  

The findings mark an 8 percentage point increase in the rate of “job lock” in the country since 2021 as workers face financial strain related to healthcare expenses. The result is “a powerful constraint on worker mobility, productivity, entrepreneurship and wage growth,” the West Health-Gallup Center said in a statement. 

“The consequences extend well beyond economics: Job lock has been linked to lower life satisfaction, poorer overall wellbeing and higher rates of occupational injury,” the researchers added. 

Nearly half who report healthcare expenses are a “major financial burden” (48%) say they are staying in a job to maintain their health insurance. The same is true for 53% of individuals who experience “a lot of stress” in their daily lives due to the cost of healthcare. 

Rates of job lock peak at 27% among those in households earning $48,000 to less than $90,000 a year and tend to be lower among those earning higher incomes. 

“These findings point to a broader challenge for policymakers: When access to affordable healthcare is tied to employment, workers may feel compelled to stay in jobs that no longer meet their personal or professional needs,” the center said in a statement. “The effects extend beyond morale — reducing labor market efficiency, upward mobility and quality of life. With coverage tied to employment, a growing share of American workers report making career decisions based on insurance rather than opportunity.”