STAT+: Prices, prices, prices

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By Bob Herman

Oct. 5, 2026

Business of Health Care Reporter

Bob covers the money in health care, focusing on health insurance and hospitals. His stories delve into Medicare Advantage, opaque prescription drug benefits, and how much executives actually make. He is also the author of the Health Care Inc. newsletter. You can reach Bob on Signal at bobjherman.09.

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Hi! Would you drive a microcar? It seems like the perfect errand vehicle, but it still costs as much as an outpatient surgery. As you’ll see, I’ve got prices on the mind. Send me your takes, microcar or otherwise: [email protected].

The price of admission

GerardAnderson

Greg Kahn for STAT

Workers and employers are confronting staggeringly high health insurance premiums that, in some cases, are forcing businesses to reconsider how or whether they offer coverage. But those premiums don’t appear out of thin air. They are driven by the industry’s high and inscrutable prices.

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  1. Business of Health Care Reporter

    Bob covers the money in health care, focusing on health insurance and hospitals. His stories delve into Medicare Advantage, opaque prescription drug benefits, and how much executives actually make. He is also the author of the Health Care Inc. newsletter. You can reach Bob on Signal at bobjherman.09.