Health insurance premiums are going up next year unless you work at these companies

"U.S. health care is the most expensive in the developed world, and it's getting worse. The average annual premium for an employer-based health insurance plan for a family of four was more than $25,500 last year, according to the health policy nonprofit KFF. Of that average total, employers contributed about $19,200 and workers contributed about $6,300. Total premiums have risen more than 24% since 2019 and are widely expected to surge next year."

"For-profit companies including drugmakers, pharmacy benefit managers, hospitals and insurance companies have collectively driven up the costs of accessing medical care in the United States. Drugmakers are developing more effective medications, including GLP-1 weight loss drugs and cancer treatments but they're also charging a lot for them. More people are going back to the doctor after the pandemic kept them away, driving up demand and prices."

"Some 154 million people in the United States get health insurance through their employer and many could see their paycheck deductions surge next year, by 6% to 7% on average. Employers don't have a lot of control over these costs. But they do control how much they pass on to their workers and across the country, some employers big and small have decided not to make their workers pay anything upfront. Boston Consulting Group, for example, covers all insurance premiums for its roughly"

Employer-sponsored health insurance costs have increased substantially, with the average family premium exceeding $25,500 last year and a 24% rise since 2019. Employers paid roughly $19,200 of that average while workers paid about $6,300. Many of the roughly 154 million people with employer coverage could face paycheck deduction increases of 6–7% on average next year. Price drivers include high drug prices, greater post-pandemic health care utilization, and consolidation among drugmakers, PBMs, hospitals and insurers. Some employers, large and small, are choosing to absorb premiums to shield workers from higher out-of-pocket deductions.

Read at www.npr.org