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Private health insurance costs have skyrocketed this decade. The Kaiser Family Foundation recently reported that private health insurance spending has grown over 50% per capita in the last ten years, compared to just 21.5% growth in Medicare spending and 12.5% growth in Medicaid spending.
Participant spending on health care is increasing as well. In 2019, the average annual
worker contribution for employer-sponsored health coverage was $6,015 for family coverage; a 71% increase over the last decade. In addition to increasing premiums, workers are also experiencing financial strain in their deductible, as the average annual deductible has doubled over the last ten years. These increases in costs far outweigh any growth in wages workers are experiencing, as Americans between the ages of 25 and 54 are earning only 4% more in 2019 than they did in 2009.
As health costs continue to rise for both health plans and participants alike, the public debate about cost-control and the adequacy of employer-based coverage likewise increases.