Inefficient System and Rising Costs Underscore Need for Action
The increased cost of health insurance premiums is at the core of health policy discussions. The Kaiser Family Foundation has compiled premiums for single and family coverage (see chart). From 1999 to 2012, premiums for family coverage increased threefold from $5,791 in 1999 to $15,745. While uninsured and “under-insured” bear the brunt of blame for rapidly increasing costs, employers, both large and small, and their employees, who increasingly contribute toward the cost of their premiums, feel the impact.
