Open enrollment season for health care plans is about to begin, and many Americans may get sticker shock after seeing how much premiums will rise. But the rising cost of insurance is also quietly eroding wage gains, preventing workers from getting bigger raises than they would otherwise receive. Health insurance costs are a major issue ...

Millions of Medicare enrollees who buy stand-alone prescription drug plans will see their average monthly premiums rise by 50% in 2027, a new analysis finds. But enrollees can avoid the average increase — from $34 a month to $51 — by switching to lower-cost plans during the program’s open enrollment period, which runs through Dec. ...

Sutter Health will not build a hospital as part of its construction project in Emeryville, California, because of regulatory hurdles, the nonprofit health system said Friday. The $1 billion project, as outlined in a February 2025 announcement, included plans for an outpatient hub and a 200-bed replacement hospital for the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center. ...

Health care affordability is a top-three issue for nearly 80% of likely voters in next week’s midterm elections. At the same time they go to the polls, they will have an opportunity to select their insurance plan for the coming year as open enrollment begins on November 1. A large majority are not looking forward ...

Hospitals facing major policy headwinds won’t be able to sustain operations through cost cutting or revenue protections alone, and they shouldn’t bank on immediate political relief following this week’s midterm results, BRG policy and health system operations consultants warn. Health systems across the country have been gearing up for the years-long rollout of Medicare and ...

Employers with surplus funds in certain retiree medical accounts can use those assets to pay health benefits for eligible employees who are still working, the IRS confirmed in Revenue Ruling 2026-22. The ruling addresses employees aged 59½ or older whose pension plans permit them to receive retirement benefits without leaving their jobs. Using a pension ...