America’s small businesses are giving up on health insurance Employers and workers confront unaffordable premium hikes, with no relief in sight

America’s small businesses are giving up on health insurance Employers and workers confront unaffordable premium hikes, with no relief in sight By Bob HermanJuly 7, 2026 Herman has covered employer-based health insurance for over a decade. He spoke with more than 50 people for STAT’s Out of Pocket, Out of Reach series, including small business owners, workers, employee-benefits leaders, health policy experts, attorneys, consultants, brokers, and insurance executives. https://www.statnews.com/2026/07/07/small-business-health-insurance-costs-out-of-pocket-series-part-1/