Why Healthcare Costs Are So Hard to Bring Down | Robert Pearl

The average annual premium for employer-sponsored family health coverage passed $28,000 in 2026 and is rising faster than inflation. The worker’s contribution covers only part of that total, with employers paying the rest. What would it take for that money to deliver better care?

The United States spends more per person on healthcare than other high-income countries, yet has lower life expectancy. For households facing additional costs when they need care, the pressure runs in two directions: for care to cost less and deliver better results.

Dr. Robert Pearl led The Permanente Medical Group, part of Kaiser Permanente, for 18 years and teaches at Stanford Graduate School of Business. He joins us to explain what is driving the cost of care and why changes he believes are needed have been difficult to make. He says the challenge is who will lead those changes and who will take the risk.

Views expressed in this video are the opinions of the host and the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.