Notes on k-12 Healthcare cost Growth
As Americans prepare to vote in Tuesday’s midterm elections, rising healthcare costs are among the top financial and economic concerns, according to recent polling.
A quarter of voters say they are “very worried” about being able to afford healthcare costs and more than one-third say they are “somewhat worried,” according to a KFF poll earlier this month.
Those who get their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) saw their average monthly benchmark premium jump from $497 per month in 2025 to $625 in 2026, according to KFF, particularly after enhanced premium tax credits expired at the end of last year.
A new analysis from KFF published Friday found that finalized benchmark silver premiums for healthcare plans under the ACA will rise by an average of 13% next year, marking the second year in a row of double-digit percentage increases.
Premiums have risen even for those with employer-sponsored health insurance. Workers are paying nearly 10% more for their premiums, according to a new KFF survey published earlier this month.
The average single-coverage deductible for workers increased by 43% since 2015, according to KFF, reaching $1,886 in 2025.
Prescription drug spending rose in 2025 by 12.7% to $915 billion and is on track to surpass $1 trillion in 2026, a report from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) found.
