Rising Hospital Costs Health insurance in New York State is getting more expensive because the cost of care is increasing. Hospitals are continually overcharging patients and, despite a federal hospital price transparency requirement, many New Yorkers remain in the dark. Overall charges for hospital services are rising rapidly year after year, and services can vary widely depending on the provider. LEARN MORE Health Care Taxes Taxes on health insurance have grown dramatically over the last 20 years – now totaling $5.57 billion. With employers responsible for a significant portion of the private health insurance premiums, the state taxes on private coverage are viewed as “hidden” business taxes. They are already the largest business tax that employers and individuals pay. LEARN MORE Drug Costs Prescription drug costs continue to be a major driver of health insurance costs. While the huge spikes in the cost of some drugs, like the EpiPen, are well known, drug costs continue to rise due to extremely high initial pricing, unpredictable price hikes, and efforts to dissuade the use of more cost-efficient, quality alternatives such as generic medications. LEARN MORE