The Wall Street Journal: Average Family Premiums Hit $25,500: A Call for Change

Healthcare costs continue to soar, and a recent article from the Wall Street Journal suggests a significant culprit: hospitals themselves. Hospitals have increasingly prioritized profits over patient care, driving up costs for everyone.

Hospitals have contributed significantly to the rising costs in healthcare. The ongoing price hikes suggest a troubling focus on profit over patient care. With premiums climbing at rates not seen in over a decade, it is crucial to scrutinize how hospital pricing practices impact affordability for families.

Shawn Gremminger, chief executive of the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, an employer group, said businesses can’t keep that up. And workers ultimately bear those higher costs in other ways, he said, including smaller raises or job cuts. “That’s adding real stress to the economy,” he said.

The consecutive years of steep increases have raised the average family premium by over $3,000.

The above graph showcases the steep hikes in family premiums that employers are dealing with. This year, employers had to stomach a second straight 7% increase to the cost of premiums. This trend raises serious concerns about the sustainability of the healthcare system and the role hospitals play in driving these costs.

Raising awareness about this issue is vital. A collective effort is needed to push for a healthcare system that effectively serves everyone without compromising affordability. Better Solutions remains committed to holding hospitals accountable for prioritizing profits over care.