Health‑Insurance Costs Push 1 in 10 Americans Uninsured

A recent survey found that nine percent of people who signed up for Affordable Care Act plans last year had to drop their coverage because premiums were climbing too fast. The same study shows that about eighty percent of respondents feel every medical bill is higher than it was a year ago. More than half of those surveyed say they will cut back on groceries or household items just to keep up with health expenses. One mother of two from Illinois shared her shock when her monthly premium jumped from $59 to almost $100. She was not prepared for the sudden price increase and had no choice but to cancel her plan, leaving her without insurance. Other news from the health‑care world includes Maryland’s regulator ordering a major insurer to stop underpaying doctors, which could raise costs for patients.A large nonprofit hospital system is looking at selling its health‑insurance arm to help balance a $2 billion financial plan that includes staff cuts and facility sales. Tech‑related worries are growing, too. Two big medical device companies reported cyberattacks that disrupted production and exposed customer data. These incidents highlight how vulnerable hospitals can be to attacks that happen outside their own networks. Law firms say they see a rise in mergers and acquisitions among health‑care providers, especially as governments tighten rules on billing and financial practices. Finally, a New York man pleaded guilty to cyberstalking after the death of an insurance executive, showing that personal safety concerns are also part of today’s health‑care landscape.