[knz]

Is the ACA responsible for the rise? Personally, my health insurance rates (for a family plan offered through my employer of ~1,000 people) were increasing by 5-10% per year before the ACA and have been more stable since (3-5% increases per year).

Its currently at a total of $22,000/year (between employer and employee contributions) - that's equivalent to $35,000 dollars in my country of birth (New Zealand), or 700% of what the total tax on the median income is. Somehow, kiwis get all of the functions of government for 14% of what health insurance costs in America. It's insane and reminds me every enrolment season of how poor the ROI on healthcare dollars is in the US.