Health

The Hill - Americans are bracing to pay significantly more for health insurance next month, whether they have Affordable Care Act plans or get insurance through work. Premiums for some people could be the highest in decades, while others may pay more in the form of out-of-pocket costs like copays or deductibles.  

People are getting squeezed by rising costs across income brackets, and experts say affordability woes will truly hit home when open enrollment kicks off next month.  

The reasons for the looming spike vary. Higher prices for hospitals and other care are a significant driver of spending by insurers and employers, as is increased utilization of expensive prescription drugs like GLP-1s for weight loss.  

The approximately 19 million adults on Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans, meanwhile, are expected to see another year of double-digit premium increases due to many of the same pressures. But eligible enrollees no longer have enhanced subsidies to blunt the increase after Republicans in Congress let them expire last year.  

Health cost worries have resonated throughout the midterm elections campaign, and Democrats have made those concerns a centerpiece of their messaging. 

A recent poll from health research group KFF found healthcare costs, alongside gas prices, outranked food, housing and utilities as the top economic concern for voters in the midterm elections. 

A Pew Research Center survey earlier this month showed 64 percent of Americans said healthcare was a “very important” issue, ranking it higher than immigration, foreign policy, crime or AI.