US health insurers, reeling from slumping share prices, are raising insurance premiums by the most in 15 years, adding to fears that American consumers are struggling under the weight of high costs.
One of the insurance companies, UnitedHealth, has cited tariffs from President
Donald Trumpās trade wars as a reason for the increases.
The cost of companiesā health insurance plans for employees is expected to jump by an average of 6.5 per cent in 2026, the biggest increase in 15 years, according to a report by Mercer. For people who buy health insurance on government exchanges, the median increase for 2026 is 18 per cent ā more than double last yearās 7 per cent rise, according to KFF, a non-profit health policy research group.