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.
Bob covers the money in health care, focusing on health insurance and hospitals. His stories delve into Medicare Advantage, opaque prescription drug benefits, and how much executives actually make. He is also the author of the Health Care Inc. newsletter. You can reach Bob on Signal at bobjherman.09.
It has never been more difficult for employers to offer health insurance for their workers. That’s especially true for America’s small businesses, the backbones of entire communities. More and more, they’re giving up entirely.
America’s employer-based health insurance system — the dominant form of coverage for people younger than 65 — is crumbling. The percentage of working-age adults who get their health coverage from a job has declined from 67% in 1998 to about 60%. It’s also more expensive than ever. STAT interviewed dozens of people across the country as part of a series that probes how and why this is happening. Panic, despair, and anger are most apparent among smaller shops and firms.
