As health insurance costs climb, how to make the most of medical spending before year's end

As health-care costs continue to climb, you may want to make sure you’re not leaving valuable tax breaks or pre-tax dollars on the table this year.

Rising premiums, steeper deductibles and higher out-of-pocket maximums have put more pressure on household budgets, making year-end planning important, experts say.

Among employer-based plans — which cover about 154 million people under age 65 — premiums paid by workers could rise by 6% to 7% on average in 2026, according to consultancy firm Mercer. For plans purchased through the Affordable Care Act marketplace, premiums will more than double next year — on average, by 114% — if enhanced premium tax credits expire at the end of the year as scheduled, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a health policy research group.

Here’s a look at more stories on how to manage, grow and protect your money for the years ahead.

While medical expenses often are unpredictable and unwelcome, there may be strategies you can use to make those outlays a little less painful.