When our measure of "affordability" is whether or not we got more than we paid for, of course the cost go up.
Ask yourself how you keep your auto insurance premiums low? Odds are, you take a high deductible, you don't make claims for routine maintenance or minor dings, and you only make bigger claims knowing that if you do, you're rates are likely to go up next year.
So, why are we surprised to see our health insurance premiums go up year-over-year when we expect unlimited office visits every time we get the sniffles?
We need to reconsider what insurance should be...protection in the event that we have chronic issues or catastrophic health problems. We ought to be paying out of pocket for routine visits and for maintenance care.
Absolutely agree.