U.S. health care is broken. Here are 3 ways it's getting worse

"One year after UnitedHealthcare's CEO was shot and killed, the crisis in U.S. health care has gotten even worse in ways both obvious and hidden. People increasingly can't afford health insurance. The costs of both Obamacare and employer-sponsored insurance plans are set to skyrocket next year, in a country where health care is already the most expensive in the developed world."

"Yet even as costs surge, the companies and the investors who profit from this business are also struggling financially. Shares in UnitedHealth Group, the giant conglomerate that owns UnitedHealthcare and that plays a key role in the larger stock market, have plunged 44% from a year earlier. (It was even worse before a rally in UnitedHealth shares on Wednesday.) "UnitedHealth's reputation in the investment community, before December 4 last year, was [as] a safe place to put your money."

Health care in the United States has become less affordable, with rising costs for both Obamacare and employer-sponsored insurance planned to surge next year. The country already pays the highest health-care prices among developed nations. Insurers and investors are under financial strain despite rising consumer costs. UnitedHealth Group shares fell about 44% over the past year, and the company faced a public relations crisis after CEO Brian Thompson was shot on Dec. 4, 2024, igniting consumer outcry over costs and denied claims. The industry now faces regulatory scrutiny, tightening margins, falling stock performance, and forecasts of continued volatility.

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