Average worker contributions toward family insurance premiums grew by 308% between 1999 and 2024, according to a Dec. 8 research letter published in JAMA Network Open.
Researchers from Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine, both based in Houston, found that total premiums increased 342%, while average worker earnings increased by 119% and inflation increased by 64%.
The study relied on data addressing premiums and worker contributions from the Kaiser Family Foundation Employer Health Benefits Survey. It also used inflation and wage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI and Current Employment Statistics Survey, including insights from 1999 to 2024. Researchers also reviewed CPI trends in medical care.
