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‘Unsustainable’: Ahead of Nov. 3 elections, health advocates demand action as ACA premiums soar
Consumers and health care advocates on Monday called on political candidates and elected officials to address the mounting financial pressure on Floridians seeking health insurance through the ACA, also known as Obamacare.
Rising premiums, a sad Medicaid gathering, and a new fraud crackdown
The cost of health insurance is surging, and CMS presses ahead with a new fraud crackdown.
Getting health insurance from your job will be extra pricey for 2027
Workers might start feeling faint when they sign up for work-based health coverage for 2027. Premiums are expected to skyrocket for the fourth year in a ...
Rep. Carbajal Meets with Cottage Health’s Head Honchos in Santa Barbara as They Brace for ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Impacts
Trump’s bill expected to leave close to 40,000 Central Coast residents without health coverage, another 37,000 with higher premiums, and a roughly $40 million initial impact on Cottage.
Face the Facts: New health insurance helps early childhood educators
Child care is expensive, and keeping qualified workers on the job is part of the challenge. Now, Connecticut is offering a new health insurance subsidy to help early childhood educators lower their monthly premiums. Rep. Kate Farrar (D-West Hartford) explains how it works and why it could make a difference for families. Mike Hydeck: For years, Connecticut has had among…
US employer health insurance premiums exceed $28,000 for family coverage in 2026
US employer health insurance premiums rose 5% in 2026, exceeding $28,000 for family coverage, while nearly half of working-age adults lack adequate coverage
Job-based health plan costs rise, with little relief in sight
Nearly half of large employers have increased the amount their workers must pay for health insurance — a response to rising premiums.
Survey reports rising cost of employer-sponsored health insurance
Employer health insurance premiums and deductibles rose again in 2026, according to a new survey from KFF.
Job-based health plans get more expensive, with little relief in sight
Rising healthcare premiums and worker contributions are putting significant financial pressure on American families and employers, with experts projecting even steeper cost increases for upcoming plans.
Health insurance costs keep climbing for American workers, a new survey finds
The 2026 Employer Health Benefits Survey, released Thursday, found that covered workers were paying hundreds of dollars more toward their premiums this year compared with last year.
Health insurance costs keep climbing for American workers, a new survey finds
The 2026 Employer Health Benefits Survey, released Thursday, found that covered workers were paying hundreds of dollars more toward their premiums this year compared with last year.
Family health insurance premiums hit $28,000 in 2026 as employee costs spike 9%, KFF report shows
The government is limiting who can get access to health insurance while Americans push for more comprehensive coverage.
Rising health care costs are pushing people to forgo medicine and doctor visits
Higher insurance premiums, climbing medical costs and inflation are pushing health care expenses for Americans to new heights.
Premiums for Employer-Sponsored Family Health Coverage Top $28,000 in 2026
Workers are paying on average $7,471 annually toward the premiums for employer-sponsored family health benefits this year, which is up 9%, or $621, from 2025, according to KFF’s annual benchmark health benefits survey of large and small employers.
Tunisia proposes 50% insurance subsidy for Africa exports
Tunisia plans to cover 50% of the insurance premiums for business exports to African markets under its proposed 2027 budget bill, with the provisions applying for 12 months after the law takes effect…
Health insurance premiums jump 9%, and more Americans don’t have access to coverage
Working-age U.S. adults without health insurance rose in 2026. Half of all uninsured people did not seek needed care because of cost concerns, according to a new survey.
Health insurance through work is under strain. What comes next?
Employers are struggling with rising premiums. Some are looking for a different model.
CT launches health insurance subsidy for child care workers
Connecticut officials on Wednesday announced that eligible staff in the early childhood sector can now apply for a subsidy toward health insurance plan premiums, a benefit connected to the ambitious […]
Employers Shift Rising Health Care Costs Onto Millions of Workers
New surveys show that increases in premiums and deductibles are forcing people to forgo treatments or doctor’s visits while budgets are strained by higher food and gas prices.
Job-Based Health Plan Costs Rise, With Little Relief in Sight
Employers saw their healthcare premiums rise 5% this year — and some passed on that burden to workers — as the cost of family coverage in job-based insurance exceeds $28,000 for family plans.
How employers are offsetting soaring medical costs
Employers are raising premiums and deductibles while resisting broader GLP-1 coverage, reflecting ongoing pressure from high healthcare costs.
Workers Now Pay $7,471 on Average Annually for Family Health Coverage, Up 9% or $621 from 2025, Benchmark Employer Health Benefits Survey Finds
Workers are paying on average$7,471 annually toward the premiums for employer-sponsored family health benefits this year, which is up 9%, or $621, from 2025, per KFF’s annual benchmark health benefits survey of large and small employers. The burden of family premiums hits particularly hard for workers at small firms with less than 200 workers.
New Virginia program could help residents save on health insurance
VIRGINIA (CBS19 NEWS) -- Thousands of Virginians could soon see significant savings on their health insurance premiums through a new $150 million state program.
CT to make healthcare subsidy available to childcare workers
Eligible childcare workers can receive money annually toward insurance premiums for Access Health CT plans.
Some Olathe retirees frustrated after health insurance premiums rise again for 2027
These concerns first surfaced last fall when retirees learned their city health insurance premium costs were going up by 500% to 900% for 2026.
WA leaders push back as federal health cuts threaten millions
Washington lawmakers warn that federal health cuts could cost hospitals billions and hike premiums, drawing debate ahead of the midterms.
Ohio's ACA enrollment starts next month. Here's what to expect
Premiums are expected to increase again this year on Ohio's Affordable Care Act marketplace, following significant price hikes last year coupled with the expiration of federal subsidies.
At a Last-Hope Health Clinic, Desperation, Kindness and Fear for What’s Next
These doctors and community health workers are a safety net for patients losing coverage as premiums soar and Medicaid cuts mount, even as their clinic struggles to stay afloat.
Health minister decries bill subsidizing NHI premiums for most seniors
Health Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) has warned that newly passed legislation fully subsidizing National Health Insurance (NHI) premiums for most seniors would increase the financial burden on younger generations.
Health insurance is the sleeper midterms issue: Why premiums are spiking
Americans are bracing to pay significantly more for health insurance next month, whether they have Affordable Care Act plans or get insurance through work. Premiums for some people could be t…
Health insurance is the sleeper midterms issue: Why premiums are spiking
Americans are bracing to pay significantly more for health insurance next month, whether they have Affordable Care Act plans or get insurance through work. Premiums for some people could be t…
California teachers once had fully paid health coverage. Now they're rallying over premiums
"While your income isn't changing, your purchasing power has absolutely fallen."
Georgia Affordable Care Act health insurance premiums set to rise dramatically
Georgia marketplace health insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act could skyrocket as high as 29 percent next year.
Tony Lo Sasso on healthcare costs as a top issue for voters
Tony Lo Sasso on how the issue of healthcare is shaped by mergers and rising premiums.
Employees of Russellville-based Arkansas Tech University to face 14% health insurance premium hike in 2027
RUSSELLVILLE -- Faculty and staff at Arkansas Tech University are set to see double-digit increases in their health and dental insurance premiums in 2027 after the hikes were presented to the Board of Trustees on Thursday.
Op-ed: Healthcare affordability debate misses insurers’ bad behavior
Premiums for small groups and individuals continue to skyrocket.
Interactive: Could the No Surprises Act be driving up health insurance costs?
The No Surprises Act ended many unexpected medical bills, but critics say costly arbitration awards may be adding pressure to insurance premiums.
Commentary: Trump slashed healthcare for Ohio families and spiked premiums. Now he's offering small checks.
Do you celebrate an arsonist who brings a cup of water to a fire they started? Is the president a hero for cutting small, healthcare relief checks to people struggling under his policy, the largest rollback of federal support for health care in American history?
Arizona employee health insurance costs are 'out of control,' lawmakers say
Rising healthcare costs and limited state budget reserves could lead to higher employee premiums, greater cost-sharing and other changes to the plan.
Judge won’t halt Atrium’s cheaper copays for State Health Plan members, for now
After the ruling, the State Health Plan warned premiums could more than double in 2028.
State Treasurer warns that Health Plan premiums could go up by $50 a month if Atrium plan proceeds
A Wake County Superior Court judge denied the State Health Plan's request for a temporary restraining order against Atrium's proposed plan to charge state employees less for services.
State Treasurer warns that Health Plan premiums could go up by $50 a month if Atrium plan proceeds
A Wake County Superior Court judge denied the State Health Plan's request for a temporary restraining order against Atrium's proposed plan to charge state employees less for services.
Atrium Health plan gets judge’s approval
(The Center Square) – Monthly premiums may go up as much as $50 per month in 2028 for members of the North Carolina State Health Plan regardless of their healthcare
The Hartford closes purchase of Equitable’s employee benefits business
The Hartford completed its acquisition of Equitable’s employee benefits business, adding $500 million in premiums and 300 employees in Connecticut.
Sen. Dornink: Democrats misguided health care policies driving another year of higher health insurance rates as the ACA fails to deliver on its promise
Senate Republicans sounded the alarm on another round of double-digit health insurance rate increases announced by the Department of Commerce, saying state Democrats raised costs and taxes, drained the Health Care Access Fund that was supposed to hold premiums down, and opposed one of the most successful tools to lower premiums through the reinsurance program....
Montanans shopping for health insurance face rising costs, shrinking subsidies, fewer choices
Open enrollment for the federal Health Insurance Marketplace starts Nov. 1. People with those plans faced higher premiums this year because of declining financial help from the federal government. Many Montanans chose lower levels of coverage or canceled their plans altogether.
North Dakota health insurance premiums set to rise in 2027
Insurance commissioner says rising health care costs are driving the increases
Health insurance rates rise across Colorado, with the biggest increases hitting the Western Slope
Health insurance premiums for Coloradans using the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace are increasing by an average of 10% in 2027, lower than preliminary rates showed in June. Western Slope residents, however, are set to...
CHOICE Arrangements: A Path to Health Coverage for Small Business Employees - Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council
An emerging alternative is gaining momentum – and the history of HSAs shows why policymakers should help it grow. By Karen Kerrigan – For most small business owners, the health insurance story is painfully the same: premiums keep climbing, choices can be limited, and providing quality coverage for employees becomes more difficult every year. According […]
CHOICE Arrangements: A Path to Health Coverage for Small Business Employees - Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council
An emerging alternative is gaining momentum – and the history of HSAs shows why policymakers should help it grow. By Karen Kerrigan – For most small business owners, the health insurance story is painfully the same: premiums keep climbing, choices can be limited, and providing quality coverage for employees becomes more difficult every year. According […]
Minnesota health insurance premiums could jump as much as 21% in 2027
Without the reinsurance program, however, insurers' proposed average would have been 57.9%.
HISD will cut health care plans from 7 to 4 as higher premiums hit employees in 2027
HISD employees will have fewer medical plans to choose from in 2027 and will have to pay higher premiums, though the district has said a 4% pay increase will help cover them.
Physician Organizations Oppose Legislation That Gives Health Insurers Unilateral Control Over Out-of-Network Payments
The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and American College of Radiology (ACR) today expressed strong opposition to the Lower Premiums, Faster Payments Act, legislation introduced by Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) that would eliminate the independent dispute resolution (IDR) process established under the No Surprises Act (NSA) and replace it with payment rates calculated by health insurance companies.
Trump bucks and the politics of mailing checks
The checks started going out last week, nearly one million of them, and mostly to battleground states. With a return address for the U.S. Treasury and a letter enclosed signed by President Donald Trump, these one-time checks for $500 were ostensibly government rebates for Obamacare enrollees who overpaid. In the accompanying letter, however, Trump attacks his predecessor and talks about his record in office on an important issue he’s not polling well on, which makes it seem more like the most expensive political mailer in U.S. history. The average piece of direct mail costs between 30 cents and $3, according to Mail Processing Associates, a print, mail, and fulfillment company. At $500 a pop plus roughly 50 cents each to issue the paper check, the cost of Trump’s healthcare mailer sent to more than 950,000 enrollees comes in at more than $475 million. Trump’s midterm healthcare message “For years, the Biden Administration overcharged you to fund the operation of HealthCare dot gov,” Trump wrote in the letter. “That money belongs to hard-working Americans, not the Government, and now, I am returning it to you!” In the letter, Trump makes false and misleading claims about his administration’s record on healthcare costs, an issue Democrats have a 20 point advantage on over Republicans, according to a recent poll from KFF, a nonpartisan health policy think tank. Trump touts his administration’s TrumpRX program, which he claims is “delivering massive discounts.” However, new research from KFF found that of a selection of drugs available on the TrumpRX platform, just five were the lowest price, while 13 were the highest price. Trump also falsely claims in the letter that he’s fighting to lower healthcare costs. In reality, average monthly premium payment costs for enrollees rose 58% under Trump while marketplace sign-ups declined 5%, per KFF. Under Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, it’s estimated 10 million more Americans will be uninsured by 2034. You get a check and you get a check and you get a check Trump’s long promised cash outs to his fans, from his days as a casino operator and gameshow host to his presidency. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the first Trump administration made the unprecedented move to put Trump’s name on checks that went out under the CARES Act (notably the $500 refund checks this time around don’t feature Trump’s name). Ever since, Trump’s been chasing that high. In his second term, Trump’s promised more stimulus that never arrived, like refund checks from DOGE cuts and tariffs, while he said at his party’s convention last month that he’d give out $5,000 checks to everyone if Republicans win in November. In reality, DOGE overstated its cost cutting and Trump’s government actually now spends more than former President Joe Biden’s, while Trump’s tariffs actually grew the trade deficit. His proposal for $5,000 checks would add about $1.2 trillion to the national debt. The problem is there’s no money to give. These $500 checks — plus $90 Medicare rebate checks also going out as well as $250 deposited this week in some Trump Accounts for kids courtesy Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell and his wife Susan — represent the closest Trump’s going to get to making good on his promise to deliver cash fast. And the checks seem especially targeted. Though the $500 checks went out to enrollees in one of 30 states that use the federal HealthCare dot gov marketplace, a Reuters review found 71% of the payments, or $339 million, went to enrollees in 13 states that have the most competitive elections for governor and U.S. Senate. Most Americans don’t buy it Could Trump bucks sway the election? An Economist-YouGov poll found 57% of U.S. adults doubt Trump will deliver on his promise for $5,000 checks, compared to 21% who do. “I’m waiting on my DOGE check and I’m still waiting on my tariff check,” one 2024 Trump voter who’s since turned on him told a recent focus group. “It felt like kind of trying to buy people’s votes, which honestly felt like in elementary when the class president was like, hey we’re going to take you to the water park if you vote for me. It’s like, I don’t think it works like that.” But for voters in swing states who got a check, it could still matter. One survey published in 2022 found receiving a physically personalized check in the mail during the pandemic was associated with a much greater self-reported likelihood of voting for Trump in 2020, and those gains mainly came from out partisans. The issue for Trump comes if these checks are mostly going to Obamacare enrollees whose premiums have gone up by more than just $500 since he took office and who view the money as something like a bribe before the election rather than an actual long-term solution to lowering household costs. Spending $500.50 per mailer would be absurd as a normal campaign expenditure, but since Trump’s checks and letter are a government rebate, his campaign and super PAC didn’t have to spend a dime and he got out his message regardless. If enough voters in key states are swayed by the one-time payment, it could prove to be the best $0 the Trump campaign spent. Subscribe [ ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/why-independent-candidates-are-making) [ Why independent candidates are making independence central to their brand ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/why-independent-candidates-are-making) Hunter Schwarz · Oct 6 [ Read full story ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/why-independent-candidates-are-making) [ ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/these-designers-and-grocery-nerds) [ These designers and grocery nerds will brand Mamdani’s NYC grocery stores ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/these-designers-and-grocery-nerds) Hunter Schwarz · Oct 2 [ Read full story ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/these-designers-and-grocery-nerds) Trump wants to turn his first-ever golf course into a government course for presidents
Federal Employees Face 10.9% Increase in Health Premiums as Open Season Dates Announced
Federal employees will pay higher prices for health insurance in 2027. On average, federal employees enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB) will pay 10.9 percent more toward their premiums in 2027, marking the third straight year of double-digit increases in the employe
New Legislation Would Close Loopholes in No Surprises Act, Alleviate Pressure on Health Premiums
This solution is urgently needed for payers and for the public that rank health care costs as their top concern.
Idaho health insurance premiums see big jump for 2027
The Idaho Department of Insurance (DOI) released its 2027 rates for Individual and Small Group Health Plans on the health insurance exchange, with both going up by an average of 12%. “Despite national pressures and ongoing medical inflation, Idaho’s health insurance market remains highly competitive and stable,” Director Dean Cameron said in a news release. […]
Trump's $90 Medicare rebate rolls out, but millions aren't eligible. Critics see a political stunt
President Donald Trump says his administration will make one-time payments of $90 per person to help more than 20 million Medicare enrollees pay for their Part B premiums. It will cost about $2 billion.
President Trump’s $90 Medicare rebate rolls out, but millions aren’t eligible. Critics see a political stunt.
President Donald Trump says his administration will make one-time payments of $90 per person to help more than 20 million Medicare enrollees pay for their Part B premiums. It will cost about $2 billion.
Research suggests women living in states with abortion bans bear higher health insurance costs
New preliminary research from the University of Michigan shows women living in states with post-Dobbs abortion bans may be more likely to shoulder costs for employer-sponsored health insurance premiums, with federal data reflecting a 5.4% increase in annual premium expenditures for those women after 2022, when most abortion bans went into effect.
Federal Employees Face 10.9% Increase in Health Premiums as Open Season Dates Announced
Federal employees will pay higher prices for health insurance in 2027. On average, federal employees enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB) will pay 10.9 percent more toward their premiums in 2027, marking the third straight year of double-digit increases in the employe
Idaho health care providers struggling to afford health insurance
Idaho health care providers struggle with rising health insurance premiums, forcing some to forgo coverage and pay out-of-pocket expenses.
Doctors, insurers sue Newsom over health insurance premium increases
Doctors and health insurers have filed suit alleging Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature violated the law when they approved a healthcare tax that could substantially increase insurance premiums.
Doctors, insurers sue Newsom over health insurance premium increases
Doctors and health insurers have filed suit alleging Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature violated the law when they approved a healthcare tax that could substantially increase insurance premiums.
Doctors, insurers sue Newsom over health insurance premium increases
Doctors and health insurers have filed suit alleging Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature violated the law when they approved a healthcare tax that could substantially increase insurance premiums
Doctors, Insurers Sue Newsom over Health Insurance Premium Increases
In June, lawmakers passed a healthcare tax that could increase premiums in order to combat federal Medicaid cuts.
Mark Cuban offers fix for NJ's health care cost crisis
As New Jersey workers face another double-digit increase in health care premiums, billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban is offering to help.
Minnesota health insurance premiums set to soar 17% next year
Minnesota health insurance rates will rise 17% in 2027 as hospital consolidation drives up medical costs.
Hospital and pharmaceutical prices are smothering America’s businesses
Workers and employers are drowning in their health insurance premiums. The reason for that deluge: the health care industry’s high and inscrutable prices.
Trump Is Promising Health Care Checks Before the Midterms. How Far Will They Go?
Trump’s promised rebates come as Americans worry about health care costs. For Medicare recipients, a one-time payment may offer limited relief from rising premiums.
NH state retirees face 85% health premium hike
New Hampshire retirees in the state health plan will see premiums rise 85% in January under a one-year Anthem extension, while the state prepares to seek compet...
Trump to give $90 to senior citizens for Medicare premiums
President Donald Trump said late Friday he will give around 20 million senior citizens $90 each to help pay for their Medicare Part B premiums, marking his latest effort to dole out funds to certain Americans weeks before the midterm elections.
Doctors, insurers sue Newsom over health insurance premium increases
In June, lawmakers passed a healthcare tax that could increase premiums in order to combat federal Medicaid cuts. A new lawsuit says that tax violates Proposition 35, passed by voters in 2024.
Commentary: Universal public health insurance is the answer
Employer-sponsored health insurance is rapidly deteriorating. In 2027, premiums are expected to see their largest single-year increase in two decades, jumping 11% and closing in on a nearly five-fold increase
Doctors, insurers sue Newsom over health insurance premium increases
Doctors and health insurers filed a lawsuit Friday alleging Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature violated the law when they approved a healthcare tax that could substantially increase insurance premiums for Californians.
UCA trustees approve 12% health insurance premium hike for employees
CONWAY -- University of Central Arkansas employees are set to see their health insurance premiums jump 12% after the university's Board of Trustees unanimously approved the increase Friday morning.
Doctors, insurers sue Newsom over health insurance premium increases
California lawmakers passed a healthcare tax in June that could increase premiums by $100 annually, but groups representing doctors and insurers say it violates the law.
Your health insurance premiums may take a big jump in 2027
Many consumers are likely on the hook for an increase of about 10% or more in 2027, experts said.
Federal health insurance enrollees will pay 10.9% more, on average, toward premiums in 2027
The Office of Personnel Management published information about plan options and premium rates for 2027, ahead of the upcoming Open Season this fall.
Lesbian Bar Project Co-Founder: Purity Politics Could Destroy Our Remaining Spaces
Subscribe As a professional lesbian and Massachusetts native, I’ve recently been asked by a lot of folks what I think about the saga unfolding at Last Ditch. The now-viral story, first reported by The Boston Globe, centers on a Western Massachusetts lesbian bar that lifted its mask requirement for one night a week to help drum up business. The decision ignited an intra-queer controversy that has been feasted on by media outlets across the political spectrum—from the New York Post to LGBTQ Nation—and is even reportedly being eyed for a Hollywood adaptation. Apparently nothing is more entertaining than a bunch of lesbians and queers fighting with each other over KN-95s. What has been lost in all of the chatter and media coverage is the very real possibility that Last Ditch, which just opened in April 2025, will have to close its doors. The venue’s one remaining founder, Jackie Matellian, revealed in a community Zoom meeting that she’s working four jobs, is now solely responsible for the bar’s $50,000 business loan and is struggling to keep up with the bills. So as we laugh about the controversy’s similarity to a “Portlandia” skit and how one of the bar’s founders left to enroll in clown school, we forget that yet another lesbian bar is facing an existential crisis—and this time the call is coming from inside the house. In 2020, my friend Elina Street and I created The Lesbian Bar Project, an Emmy-, Webby- and GLAAD Media Award-winning docuseries and initiative that tells the stories of lesbian queer bars around the world. We were moved to act because at the time there were only an estimated 16 lesbian bars in the United States, and the pandemic threatened to bring that number down even further. There are now more sapphic bars than there were just before the pandemic—about 36 of them in total—but this is down from approximately 200 in 1980. Maybe that doesn’t mean much to you, but for the millions of sapphics living in the U.S., this number is calamitous. As the world laughs at lesbians and sapphics, I want to take a second and tell you what I feel when I walk into one of these bars, which are all unique and irreplaceable in their own way: I feel seen. Sometimes I think Cubbyhole in New York City’s West Village neighborhood knew I was gay before I did. When I walked in there for the first time, before I was even out, I was transfixed by the colorful array of tchotchkes hanging from the ceiling and how the women standing next to me were completely unafraid to express their desire for one another. I knew the minute I was ready to come out, I had a home. I also felt the joy of a new couple falling in love at Seattle’s Wildrose, the quiet confidence of a short king lining up her shot at the pool table at Ginger’s in Brooklyn and the kick of cayenne pepper in Julie Mabry’s crawfish at Houston’s Pearl Bar. Subscribe Lesbian bars don’t just serve lesbians; they serve queer folks across the spectrum, including bisexual, pansexual and trans people. As Elina and I traveled across the U.S. and Europe and to parts of Latin America to document the bar owners, staff and patrons that make up the ecosystems of these spaces, we also became uniquely acquainted with the factors that threaten their existence: gentrification, wage gaps, sexism, environmental disasters, gun violence, rising insurance premiums and political administrations working to annihilate queer people and their families. Lesbian bar owners, like all leaders and entrepreneurs, are imperfect. There have been significant issues over the years at lesbian bars: employee harassment, racism, lack of accessibility, sexual assault and transphobia. All bar owners should be held accountable and should listen to their communities to evolve into safer and more equitable spaces. I also acknowledge my privilege: I am able-bodied, white, cis and from a family system that loves me for who I am. Not everyone has that. Queer people, especially trans and bisexual people, are suffering from disproportionately high levels of depression, and our mental health system isn’t equipped to support them. Immunocompromised people and long COVID are real, and many of my friends are suffering to this day. The people with the least safety net are often the ones for whom a bar closing costs the most. And yet, as we’re seeing with Last Ditch, the queer community often lashes out at each other. It’s also the mainstream media taking the internal conflict and making a mockery out of it, distracting from the real possibility that this bar could close due to financial pressures. A bar that many people loved and needed is facing extinction. Perhaps it’s safer to dissent with one another than with the larger forces trying to eradicate us, but in doing so, we risk destroying the few spaces we have left. Due to the constraints of purity politics—some in good faith, some not so much—lesbian bar owners, almost all of whom are queer women themselves, are forced to be everything for everyone, similarly to how women are forced to be everything for everyone. By asking these bars to uphold impossible standards—standards very few other third spaces are asked to consider—we all end up losing. I want to move as a community toward dialogue, compassionate dissent and collaboration to make our spaces better with the goal of keeping them OPEN and thriving, rather than destroying them from the inside with expectations that are arguably unattainable. Subscribe While I have your attention—for this fleeting second of the news cycle—may I urge us to spearhead a way to keep these small businesses afloat without attacking our own community along the way? Bar owners are left with an impasse: They want to be community-centered, but they also have to make money to keep their doors open. Sometimes they might make business decisions that don’t work for everyone—and that’s partly because different patrons have different priorities and want different things—but these owners deserve the opportunity for productive dialogue**.** We have to work with them and with each other to keep our spaces open, to keep them growing. Lesbian bars raised me into the queer woman I am today. One thing I think about as I reflect on the six years of work we’ve done to document these spaces is that shared, unspoken language I have with a stranger the moment we both walk into one of these bars: the nod, the ease, the not having to explain ourselves. I don’t want to lose that, and neither should you. If objective, nonpartisan, rigorous, LGBTQ-focused journalism is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, Resource Impact, by clicking this button: Donate
Commentary: Universal public health insurance is the answer
Employer-sponsored health insurance is rapidly deteriorating. In 2027, premiums are expected to see their largest single-year increase in two decades, jumping 11% and closing in on a nearly five-fold increase
It really is bleak out there, and list prices matter
Health insurance premiums are skyrocketing, private equity hospital chain goes nonprofit, and more from STAT's Health Care Inc.
State officials approve 14.6% rate increase for individual premiums on ACA marketplace
Marylanders who purchase individual health care plans on the state’s insurance marketplace will see a second year of double-digit increases to their monthly healthcare costs.
Maryland officials approve 14.6% rate increase for individual premiums on ACA marketplace
Marylanders who purchase individual health care plans on the state’s insurance marketplace will see a second year of double-digit increases to their monthly healthcare costs.
U.S. health insurance premiums jumped 78% since 2011 — now even doctors and nurses are canceling their own coverage
Nearly three million people have dropped out of Affordable Care Act plans in just one calendar year.
State officials approve 14.6% rate increase for individual premiums on ACA marketplace
Marylanders who buy individual healthcare plans on the state's insurance marketplace will see a second year of double-digit increases to their premiums, after state insurance officials approved a 14.6% average premium rate increase across plans in 2027.
Oklahoma healthcare costs surge with premiums rising up to 75%
Oklahoma healthcare costs are rising sharply, with insurance premiums increasing up to 75% due to federal subsidy expirations and climbing medical expenses.
Starbucks workers say health insurance premiums have soared, pushing some to drop coverage
"During the summer, the electric bill goes up from the AC."
Individual health insurance market premiums in Colorado expected to increase about 10%
People in the Grand Junction area will experience a 15.5% increase, while those in the Eastern Plains are on the lower end with a 5.9% increase.
Health insurance premiums on the rise again in Colorado's marketplace
Health insurance premiums for individuals who buy it on Colorado's health insurance market are expected to rise again in 2027 but not as starkly.
Employer health costs are set to jump the most since 2003—and even health care workers are struggling to afford care
Nurses, doctors and medical practices are making difficult tradeoffs as premiums rise and health benefits consume more of household budgets.
Missouri Consumers Could See Health Insurance Premiums Rise by as Much As 26% In 2027
Missourians who buy their own health insurance and many people covered through small-business plans could see premiums increase between 10% and 26% in 2027. Preliminary rate filings submitted to the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance show higher costs may be on the way for consumers. Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance Director Angie Nelson […]
Health insurance premiums on Colorado’s individual market to rise 10% in 2027
Next year, the average cost increase for people receiving state assistance will be about $20 per month, the Division of Insurance said. If Colorado hadn’t passed that assistance, the increase would be $69.
Pasadena ISD cancels vote that would have quadrupled some employee healthcare premiums
After intense backlash from employees, Pasadena ISD Superintendent Toni Lopez removed the vote from the agenda just hours before the school board meeting and committed to keeping the current medical plan in place.
Sentara Health Plans raising premiums by 22.7% in Virginia’s individual market
Sentara Health Plans’ planned rate increase is the highest average increase of any carrier that will be offering comprehensive individual health insurance coverage in Virginia in 2027, according to the state insurance bureau.
Interactive: Workers brace for biggest health insurance cost spike since 2003
Employers expect the biggest rise in health insurance costs in decades, increasing pressure on wages, premiums and benefits for workers.
Duke employee health insurance premiums to rise by 10% to 50% under new salary-based system
Duke Human Resources announced Tuesday morning that changes would be coming to employee health insurance next year. Mainly, a new five-tier, salary-based health insurance premium structure, which could cost some employees 50% more in monthly premiums.
Workers should brace for biggest health insurance cost jump in decades
Small businesses warn rising healthcare costs could lead to higher premiums, reduced benefits, stalled wages and tougher choices for workers.
Health insurance premiums to see 16% spike as PA insurance department release '27 rates
Pennsylvanians who buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace will see a noticeable spike in their premiums, according to PID.
Proposed rate hikes for long-term care plans would double premiums for thousands of seniors
Thousands of Maryland seniors paying for long-term health care could see their annual premiums double, or triple, over the next five years if state officials approve the steep increases requested by four Maryland insurance companies last week.