The_AT Numbers_NN2 and_CC Health_NN1 Care_NN1 Reform_NN1 Two_MC authoritative_JJ surveys_NN2 in_II recent_JJ days_NNT2 have_VH0 underscored_VVN why_RRQ all_DB Americans_NN2 have_VH0 a_AT1 stake_NN1 in_II successful_JJ health_NN1 care_NN1 reform_NN1 ._. 
Too_RG many_DA2 people_NN are_VBR being_VBG hit_VVN with_IW relentlessly_RR rising_VVG premiums_NN2 or_CC are_VBR at_II serious_JJ risk_NN1 of_IO losing_VVG their_APPGE coverage_NN1 to_TO allow_VVI the_AT status_NN121 quo_NN122 to_TO continue_VVI ._. 
A_AT1 survey_NN1 by_II the_AT Kaiser_NNB Family_NP1 Foundation_NN1 found_VVD that_CST ,_, once_RR21 again_RR22 ,_, health_NN1 insurance_NN1 premiums_NN2 rose_VVD faster_RRR last_MD year_NNT1 than_CSN either_RR wages_NN2 or_CC general_JJ inflation_NN1 ._. 
A_AT1 study_NN1 by_II the_AT Treasury_NN1 Department_NN1 found_VVD that_CST almost_RR half_DB of_IO all_DB Americans_NN2 below_II Medicare_NP1 age_NN1 have_VH0 gone_VVN without_IW insurance_NN1 at_II some_DD point_NN1 over_II the_AT last_MD decade_NNT1 ._. 
The_AT Kaiser_NN1 study_NN1 ,_, conducted_VVD jointly_RR with_IW the_AT Health_NN1 Research_NN1 and_CC Education_NN1 Trust_NN1 ,_, an_AT1 affiliate_NN1 of_IO the_AT American_JJ Hospital_NN1 Association_NN1 ,_, found_VVD that_CST the_AT average_JJ premium_NN1 for_IF a_AT1 family_NN1 policy_NN1 offered_VVN at_II work_NN1 rose_VVD above_II $13,300_NNU in_II 2009_MC --_NN1 up_RP from_II $5,800_NNU in_II 1999_MC ._. 
The_AT average_JJ employer_NN1 paid_VVD more_DAR than_CSN $9,800_NNU of_IO that_DD1 ,_, while_CS the_AT workers_NN2 contributed_VVD more_DAR than_CSN $3,500_NNU ._. 
The_AT workers_NN2 were_VBDR also_RR hit_VVN with_IW larger_JJR co-payments_NN2 and_CC deductibles_NN2 ,_, while_CS their_APPGE policies_NN2 often_RR offered_VVD fewer_DAR benefits_NN2 ._. 
The_AT premium_JJ increase_NN1 this_DD1 year_NNT1 was_VBDZ a_AT1 relatively_RR modest_JJ 5_MC percent_NNU ,_, far_RR below_II the_AT 13_MC percent_NNU rate_NN1 in_II two_MC previous_JJ years_NNT2 ._. 
But_CCB that_DD1 still_RR far_RR outpaced_VVD a_AT1 3.1_MC percent_NNU growth_NN1 in_II wages_NN2 and_CC a_AT1 small_JJ decrease_NN1 in_II inflation_NN1 ._. 
Absent_JJ meaningful_JJ reform_NN1 ,_, worse_JJR is_VBZ sure_JJ to_TO come_VVI ._. 
Kaiser_NN1 estimates_VVZ that_CST ,_, if_CS increases_NN2 revert_VV0 to_II the_AT average_NN1 of_IO the_AT last_MD 10_MC years_NNT2 ,_, health_NN1 insurance_NN1 premiums_NN2 in_II 2019_MC will_VM average_VVI a_AT1 whopping_JJ $30,800_NNU ,_, which_DDQ it_PPH1 calls_VVZ "_" a_AT1 very_RG scary_JJ number_NN1 ._. "_" 
More_RGR immediately_RR ,_, a_AT1 fifth_MD of_IO the_AT employers_NN2 surveyed_VVN said_VVD they_PPHS2 are_VBR very_RG likely_JJ to_TO increase_VVI the_AT amount_NN1 that_CST employees_NN2 pay_VV0 for_IF premiums_NN2 next_MD year_NNT1 ._. 
Meanwhile_RR ,_, the_AT Treasury_NN1 Department_NN1 's_GE study_NN1 highlighted_VVD how_RGQ vulnerable_JJ Americans_NN2 are_VBR to_II losing_VVG their_APPGE coverage_NN1 ._. 
It_PPH1 found_VVD that_CST ,_, between_II 1997_MC and_CC 2006_MC ,_, 48_MC percent_NNU of_IO nonelderly_JJ Americans_NN2 went_VVD without_IW health_NN1 insurance_NN1 for_IF at_RR21 least_RR22 one_MC1 month_NNT1 ,_, 41_MC percent_NNU lacked_VVD coverage_NN1 for_IF at_RR21 least_RR22 six_MC months_NNT2 and_CC 36_MC percent_NNU were_VBDR uncovered_VVN for_IF a_AT1 year_NNT1 or_CC more_RRR ._. 
That_DD1 happened_VVD during_II a_AT1 decade_NNT1 of_IO strong_JJ economic_JJ growth_NN1 ._. 
The_AT number_NN1 of_IO uninsured_JJ is_VBZ likely_JJ to_TO be_VBI higher_JJR over_II the_AT next_MD decade_NNT1 ,_, the_AT study_NN1 warns_VVZ ._. 
The_AT argument_NN1 for_IF reform_NN1 seems_VVZ clear_JJ ._. 
Americans_NN2 without_IW insurance_NN1 need_VV0 guaranteed_JJ access_NN1 to_II coverage_NN1 ._. 
Those_DD2 with_IW insurance_NN1 need_VV0 a_AT1 guarantee_NN1 that_CST they_PPHS2 will_VM not_XX be_VBI dropped_VVN by_II their_APPGE insurers_NN2 and_CC will_VM be_VBI able_JK to_TO buy_VVI an_AT1 affordable_JJ policy_NN1 if_CS their_APPGE employers_NN2 decide_VV0 to_TO drop_VVI coverage_NN1 ._. 
And_CC ways_NN2 must_VM be_VBI found_VVN to_TO slow_VVI the_AT rise_NN1 in_II health_NN1 care_NN1 costs_NN2 and_CC ease_VV0 the_AT burden_NN1 of_IO paying_VVG for_IF insurance_NN1 ._. 
Of_RR21 course_RR22 ,_, there_EX were_VBDR exceptions_NN2 to_II these_DD2 trends_NN2 :_: a_AT1 few_DA2 economists_NN2 challenged_VVD the_AT assumption_NN1 of_IO rational_JJ behavior_NN1 ,_, questioned_VVD the_AT belief_NN1 that_CST financial_JJ markets_NN2 can_VM be_VBI trusted_VVN and_CC pointed_VVN to_II the_AT long_JJ history_NN1 of_IO financial_JJ crises_NN2 that_CST had_VHD devastating_JJ economic_JJ consequences_NN2 ._. 
