The Great Healthcare Cost Hike Is Here
"Here’s how the looming healthcare hike will impact insurance costs, wherever you get your coverage," write Neale Mahoney and Abigail Sanchez.
The United States faces the imminent prospect of a significant surge in healthcare costs, with the country's priciest healthcare system set to become even more expensive. In 2027, the roughly 160 million Americans who obtain health insurance through their employers will be required to review their benefits and select a plan. Employer health plan costs are projected to climb by 8 to 10% next year, marking the largest increase in over two decades and double the average increase observed in the 2010s.
This sharp rise is just one symptom of a series of three consecutive shocks to healthcare costs and coverage. The first shock occurred in January 2026, when the 24.3 million enrollees on the ACA Marketplace witnessed a 114% increase in their after-subsidy premiums. The second shock is the recent surge in premiums and out-of-pocket costs for those who receive insurance through their employers, marking the third year of elevated increases.
The third shock, set to take effect next January, involves the implementation of Medicaid work-reporting requirements, which could ultimately lead to nearly 6 million people losing their coverage. These ongoing shocks suggest that the American political system may present a genuine opportunity for healthcare reform, potentially occurring once every generation.
Written by urgent.news from Time's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
