McDonald's workers may face higher health care costs as benefits shift

Rising health care and pharmacy bills are pushing employers to rethink health coverage for 2026, a shift that could translate into higher out-of-pocket costs for McDonald's crew members whether they work in corporate restaurants or for franchise owners.

Across the employer landscape, benefits teams are weighing plan design changes such as higher deductibles, greater coinsurance and raised out-of-pocket maximums as levers to control rising medical spend. For McDonald's employees, the impact will depend on who signs their paychecks: corporate-managed restaurants and franchise operators set benefits separately, and each may choose different tradeoffs between premiums and cost sharing.

For workers, changes can show up in several ways. Some may face larger monthly premiums, while others could see lower premiums but higher deductibles and coinsurance when they need care. Prescription drug costs are another pressure point; formulary changes or higher copays for brand-name drugs can materially change a household budget for someone with regular medication needs. These shifts affect frontline employees' take-home pay, decisions about whether to seek care, and the financial predictability of managing chronic conditions.

Workplace dynamics are likely to respond. Increased health care costs can exacerbate financial stress among crew members, influence turnover among shift leads and hourly staff, and complicate recruitment for franchisees competing on total compensation. Managers and HR teams may face more questions during open enrollment and higher demand for one-on-one benefits counseling.

Employees can take steps to limit the hit. During open enrollment, compare total expected costs across plans rather than looking at premium alone: estimate likely medical use, check deductibles, coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximums. Maximize tax-advantaged accounts if eligible; contributing to a health savings account or flexible spending account can lower taxable income and build a buffer for medical expenses. Review provider networks and prescription formularies to confirm preferred doctors and medications remain in-network or affordable under new designs. If possible, use preventive services that remain free under most plans, consider mail-order options for chronic prescriptions, and ask HR about employer contributions to HSAs or available decision tools.

McDonald's employees should watch communications from both corporate benefits teams and local franchise HR, and treat open enrollment as a budgeting decision as much as a coverage decision. As employers respond to persistent cost inflation in 2026, how each restaurant operator balances premiums and cost sharing will determine whether health benefits remain a stabilizing part of compensation or become a new source of financial pressure for crew.