Health care costs are soaring. Blame insurers, drug companies

The United States has the most expensive health care in the developed world. Now it's about to get even more expensive.

Some 154 million people get health insurance through their employer — and many could see their paycheck deductions surge next year, by 6% to 7% on average. Some will likely also see their out-of-pocket costs rise as employers pass along the spiking costs of care.

That's because employers will be paying a lot more — almost 9% more per employee on average, for the same level of coverage — to provide health benefits for their workers. Even after cutting or changing their health care benefits, employers are facing the biggest price increase in 15 years, according to a new survey of more than 1,700 organizations by Mercer, a benefits consultancy.

And 59% of those em