WSJ What’s News How the Rising Cost of Health Insurance Is Hitting Companies and Workers
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Oct 22, 2025 Health insurance costs are skyrocketing, with family plans nearing $27,000. Rising premiums are pushing more costs onto employees, impacting their salaries and out-of-pocket expenses. Meanwhile, the U.S. and Israel are exploring a partition plan for Gaza, which raises questions about future peace and possible reactions from Palestinians. In the tech world, Amazon is trialing innovative robots and AI to improve efficiency, though it may come at the expense of jobs. A complex mix of health, politics, and technology unfolds.
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Amazon's Next Wave Of Automation
- Amazon unveiled robotics and AI tools like the Blue Jay arm and manager-assist agents to automate sorting and logistics.
- Company expects automation to boost efficiency and save billions while training workers to manage robots.
Soaring Employer Health Premiums
- Employer-sponsored family health plans averaged just under $27,000 in 2025, continuing three years of sharp increases.
- Rising healthcare spending, hospital price hikes, more serious conditions, and new costly therapies like GLP-1s are driving the trend.
Why Premiums Keep Climbing
- Healthcare spending growth is the main driver of rising insurance costs, per Anna Wilde Mathews.
- Key contributors include more working-age people with serious conditions, higher hospital prices, and new therapies like GLP-1 drugs.