Health insurance premiums rose nearly 3x the rate of worker earnings over the past 25 years

8 Dec 2025

U.S. health insurance premiums rose sharply from 1999 to 2024—tripling the pace of worker wage growth—according to new research in JAMA Network Open. Hospital services drove most of the increase, with consolidation allowing large health systems to raise prices far beyond their costs. Studies show nonprofit hospital CEOs are rewarded primarily for boosting profits and organizational size, rather than improving care quality or expanding charity care. Experts argue that greater transparency in CEO compensation and even regulating hospital prices could help curb costs. With employer-sponsored premiums expected to jump 9.5% in 2026, more companies are turning to benefit designs that encourage price-sensitive choices, potentially slowing spending without reducing care quality.

Tehraoui: Morocco Expands Universal Health Coverage to 88% of Population

6 Dec 2025

Morocco has made universal health coverage (UHC) a central social priority under King Mohammed VI, covering around 88% of the population, including self-employed and vulnerable groups, according to Health Minister Amine Tehraoui. The country is reforming its healthcare system across four pillars: governance, service modernization, workforce development, and digital transformation, supported by a sharply increased health budget now at 42.4 billion dirhams. Tehraoui emphasized maintaining financial sustainability, reducing out-of-pocket costs, and ensuring equitable access to care. Morocco also aims to share its expertise with other African nations through South-South cooperation and advance UHC globally via concrete reforms and investments.

1 in 4 Affordable Care Act enrollees would 'very likely' forego health insurance if premiums double: Poll

4 Dec 2025

A new KFF poll shows that rising Affordable Care Act (ACA) premiums are pushing many Americans to reconsider their coverage for 2026. One in four enrollees say they would likely go without insurance if their premiums doubled, especially with enhanced tax credits set to expire at year’s end. The survey also found that most enrollees cannot absorb even modest annual increases without straining their household budgets, and many would cut essential spending or delay bill payments if healthcare costs rise by $1,000. Individual stories highlighted in the report show families struggling with steep premium hikes and difficult trade-offs between affordability and necessary medical care.