Personalities by inflation, the Americans were attentive to the prices of daily products such as eggs and essence. But a less known expenditure should cause more alarm: the increase in medical insurance premiums. They are increasing, and now they do it at an unprecedented rate.
It must be considered that between 2000 and 2020, the price of eggs fluctuated between a little less than $ 1 and around $ 3 per dozen; He reached $ 6.23 in March, but then fell to $ 3.78 in June.
The average gasoline price, after having oscillated between $ 2 and $ 4, the Gallon for more than a decade in 2005, reached a maximum of $ 4.93 in 2022 and recently dropped again a little more than $ 3.
Meanwhile, since 1999, medical insurance premiums for people with medical coverage through the employer have more than quadrupled. Between 2023 and 2024, more than 6% for individual and family coverage, a more pronounced increase than that of wages and general inflation.
For many people who have medical plans created by the low -cost health care law (ACA) – because they work for small businesses or pay their own coverage – it is likely that rates have increased even more drastic. On this market, state regulators examine in depth the increases in the rates offered by insurers, but only if they exceed 15%.
And the situation is about to get worse: by 2026, insurers on the ACA markets have offered new exorbitant prices: in New York, Unitedhealthcare offered an increase of 66.4%. HMO Colorado asked for an average increase of more than 33% in this state. In Washington, the average increase offered by all insurers is 21.2% and in Rhode Island is 23.7%.
According to Business Group on Health, a consortium of large employers, “the real costs of medical care has increased by 50% accumulated since 2017”. In an independent survey published in 2021, 87% of companies said that, over the next five to 10 years, the cost of medical insurance to their workers would become “unbearable”.
And market insurers ACA increases bonuses on average by 20% for next year, according to a new analysis. Imagine that the rental or mortgage payments of tens of millions of Americans have suddenly increased by this amount.
In theory, those who regulate insurance could require that the rates offered be reduced, and this often happens. However, some states are more active than others in this regard. And everyone fears that excessive regulatory interference can expel insurers from their markets.
Insurers offer many explanations to their calculations, some of which are linked to the recent measures of the Congress and President Donald Trump.
For example, new prices for American trade partners should increase the cost of medicines and medical supplies. Meanwhile, the reductions in health expenses included in the Republican Party budget law, as well as the expiration of certain bonuses from the Biden era at the end of this year, will lose their medical insurance.
It is expected that around 16 million Americans are without insurance in 2034, in many cases, because the maintenance of its deactivation.
Since it is likely that most of these people are young or healthy, the risk group of those who remain insured will be larger and more sick, and therefore more expensive to cover.
“In the end, we believe that the ACA market will probably be smaller and will be more oriented towards the patient’s needs next year,” wrote Janey Kiryuik, vice-president of Eleveance Health Communications (previously known as Anthem), in an email. He added: “Our position reflects an early disciplined action.”
Remember that most insurers in the country are for profit public; Therefore, they tend to act in favor of their shareholders, not patients whose medical care covers.
Large companies that manage their own health plans could negotiate better conditions for their workers. But the smallest companies, for the most part, will have to accept the offers.
Premiums are not the only aspect of medical insurance which becomes more expensive. Franchises (money that beneficiaries have to pay from their pocket before insurance comes into force) also increases. The average franchise of a standard silver plan in 2025 was nearly $ 5,000, or about that double that in 2014 (for those who have medical insurance through their employer, the average is just under $ 2,000).
Some states try to stop the trend by offering a “public option” of the state, a basic and affordable insurance plan that patients can choose. However, they had difficulties because a payment rate lower than workers generally means fewer participating suppliers and a reduction in access to medical care.
If voters pay as much attention to the price of medical insurance as to the price of gasoline and eggs, elected officials may respond with more measures.
