Financial Management

Study: Rising healthcare spending drove 91% of private premium growth from 2011–2024

12 Oct 20260 viewsOriginal Source

News Highlights

A study published Sept. 4 in JAMA Health Forum found average private health insurance premiums rose 78.4% between 2011 and 2024.
Researchers concluded that growth in healthcare spending accounted for 91% of that premium increase.
The study was led by Zack Cooper, PhD, an associate professor of health policy and economics at Yale University, with coauthor Stuart Craig, PhD.
Reported facts come from the article summary; the Becker's Hospital Review item did not include key methodological details such as the study sample, specific measures of spending, or policy recommendations.
Because the source summary is brief, further information about data sources, analytic methods, and potential drivers beyond overall spending was not reported in the source.

Study links most private premium growth to rising healthcare spending

A study published Sept. 4 in JAMA Health Forum reports that average private health insurance premiums increased by 78.4% from 2011 to 2024, and that growth in healthcare spending explained 91% of that rise. The research was led by Zack Cooper, PhD, an associate professor of health policy and economics at Yale University, with Stuart Craig, PhD, listed as a coauthor.

What the published summary reports

According to the summary reported by Becker's Hospital Review, the study presents two headline findings: the magnitude of premium increases for private coverage over the 2011–2024 period and the share of those increases attributable to higher healthcare spending. The two numerical findings presented in the source are:

A 78.4% increase in average private health insurance premiums between 2011 and 2024.
An attribution of 91% of that premium growth to increases in overall healthcare spending.

These findings were presented in the JAMA Health Forum publication on Sept. 4. The Becker's item identifies the study authors and the journal but provides only a brief summary of the results.

What the source does not report

The Becker's summary is concise and omits many details that readers and policymakers often look for when evaluating such research. The following elements were not reported in the source article:

The specific datasets, population coverage, or sample used to calculate average private premium changes.
The analytic methods or statistical techniques used to determine that 91% of premium growth was due to healthcare spending.
How healthcare spending was measured (for example, whether it refers to total spending, medical price increases, utilization, or other spending components).
Any breakdown of spending drivers (such as hospital prices, physician fees, prescription drugs, or administrative costs).
Regional or insurer-level variation in premium changes or spending effects.
Any policy recommendations, sensitivity analyses, or limitations noted by the authors in the full study.

Because these items were not recounted in the Becker's summary, readers seeking a comprehensive understanding should consult the full JAMA Health Forum article for methods, data sources, and detailed results.

Why this summary matters for health finance coverage

The two reported statistics—a near 80% rise in premiums and a finding that healthcare spending accounts for 91% of that rise—frame the premium debate around the role of overall medical spending rather than other potential drivers. If the study’s attribution is robust, it suggests that controlling or slowing growth in healthcare spending could be central to moderating future increases in private insurance premiums. The Becker's report, however, does not provide the methodological detail needed to assess the strength of that attribution.

Limitations of reporting and next steps for readers

The Becker's summary gives the broad outcomes but not the underlying evidence. To evaluate the study’s conclusions, readers should review the full article in JAMA Health Forum, where the authors’ data sources, analytic approach, and caveats should be presented. Without those details in the source summary, it is not possible to assess:

Whether the 91% figure reflects causal estimates or decomposition of observed changes.
Which components of healthcare spending drove the association.
Whether results vary across demographic groups, geographic areas, or types of private plans.

Where to look for more information

For readers and stakeholders who want to act on or debate these findings, the appropriate next step is to read the published study in JAMA Health Forum and any supplementary material the authors provide. The Becker's summary identifies lead author Zack Cooper, PhD (Yale University) and coauthor Stuart Craig, PhD, and the publication date of Sept. 4, which can help locate the full paper. The Becker's article itself did not include links to the study text or report expanded findings.

Conclusion

A concise summary in Becker's Hospital Review relays two central findings from a Sept. 4 JAMA Health Forum study: average private premiums rose 78.4% from 2011 to 2024, and growth in healthcare spending accounted for 91% of that increase. The source provided limited detail beyond those headline figures and author names; readers seeking a full assessment should consult the original JAMA Health Forum article for methods, data, and detailed results.