Over the past several years, employer-sponsored health insurance premiums have risen faster than inflation and wages. Both employers and employees are feeling the strain on their budgets, which in turn can limit access to care. This series examines the causes of the rising cost of employer-sponsored insurance and ways to lower prices for health care and improve affordability for workers and employers. Reports in this series highlight employer- and worker-led coalitions working to reduce the price of coverage and improve access to high-quality care; analyze trends in the availability and affordability of job-based coverage over the past decade; and present policy proposals to tackle rising costs and ensure that workers have sustainable, comprehensive coverage.
As premiums rise faster than wages, workers face greater cost sharing, leaving some underinsured.
Four case studies examine coalitions that are working to reduce the price of health coverage and improve the quality of care.