Data is critical in helping to convey impact. But with any source, it’s important to understand who it came from and their intent.
As an example, a new survey is circulating that attributes rising healthcare costs primarily to insurers. The topline finding is that 47% of U.S. adults view corporate health insurers as the primary driver of rising costs, followed by the federal government and drug companies.
What’s missing from the resulting news coverage is important. The survey was commissioned by the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare, a hospital-backed advocacy group. It’s not an independent poll. It is part of a broader effort to shape the narrative around healthcare costs at a time when provider reimbursement and affordability are front and center in nearly every healthcare-related discussion.
While this survey reflects perception and captures the country’s current frustration with
affordability, it does not represent the full drivers of healthcare costs. When looking at neutral, fact-based data, the story is different.
KFF reviewed data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and found spending on hospital care alone accounted for 40% of the total increase in national health spending from 2022 through 2024. This is a far larger share than any other health spending category.
Elevated hospital prices are difficult to reverse once established and can shape costs for an entire workforce for years to come. That’s why Premera advocates for hospital pricing that reflects value, quality, and local economic realities. As a not-for-profit health plan, this work is central to serving as a responsible steward of employer healthcare dollars.
