Global Health Insurance Updates: Rising Costs, Universal Coverage, and Regulatory Changes – Weekly news
October 22, 2025
Why Your Health Insurance Costs Keep Rising
22 Oct 2025
Jacob McDonald, a Dallas-based network engineer, faces rising health insurance costs for his family in 2026, with premiums increasing 6.5% and his deductible rising by $100. Employer-sponsored health plans nationwide are seeing their largest cost increases in over a decade due to higher utilization, expensive medications like GLP-1s, and rising labor costs. Surveys show family premiums averaged $26,993 in 2025, outpacing wage growth, forcing employers to raise employee contributions or cut benefits. Many workers now struggle with higher deductibles and out-of-pocket costs, and some may be pushed toward inadequate alternative plans. McDonald and his wife are reconsidering early retirement plans due to potential loss of affordable health coverage.
Health Minister reviews readiness of Minya for rollout of universal health insurance
20 Oct 2025
Egypt’s Minister of Health and Deputy Prime Minister, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, chaired a meeting to review progress on the Universal Health Insurance System and Minya governorate’s readiness for the scheme’s second phase. The committee assessed healthcare infrastructure, equipment, workforce, and digital transformation, while planning to add over 3,100 hospital beds in two stages. Discussions also covered upgrading family medicine units, expanding hospital equipment, and addressing workforce needs across doctors, nurses, and support staff. Abdel Ghaffar stressed accelerating Minya’s integration, enhancing partnerships with private hospitals, and establishing a joint committee to support local healthcare investments.
Türkiye overhauls private health insurance with lifetime renewal guarantee
20 Oct 2025
Turkey is implementing major changes to private health insurance starting January 1, 2026, expanding consumer rights while narrowing policy coverage. Policyholders meeting certain conditions will gain a lifetime renewal guarantee, preventing insurers from reducing coverage, raising premiums, or changing co-payments. The new rules allow insured individuals to transfer accrued benefits when switching companies, and waiting periods will apply only during the initial insurance term. Travel and sickness insurance are excluded from the regulation, which now covers only individual and group private health plans. Existing policies will remain under current terms until the new rules take effect.
