Health insurance in the CPI
Health insurance in the CPI: down 9.0% in a year
The Consumer Price Index for health insurance fell 9.0% in the 12 months to September 2026. Read this figure with care. It is not a measure of the premiums people pay.
Why this index can fall while premiums rise
BLS does not price health insurance premiums directly. It estimates the cost of health insurance indirectly, from the share of premiums that insurers keep as retained earnings rather than pay out in benefits. When insurers pay out more in claims, the index can fall even if premiums go up. BLS explains the method in its medical care fact sheet, linked below.
12-month change since 2007
Health insuranceAll items (overall inflation)
Percent change from the same month a year earlier, not seasonally adjusted
Month by month
| Month | Index | 12-month change | All items, 12-month |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 136.151 | -9.0% | +3.7% |
| August 2026 | 136.477 | -8.5% | +3.4% |
| July 2026 | 137.122 | -8.0% | +3.4% |
| June 2026 | 137.379 | -7.4% | +3.5% |
| May 2026 | 138.018 | -6.4% | +4.2% |
| April 2026 | 138.169 | -6.1% | +3.8% |
| March 2026 | 138.741 | -5.3% | +3.3% |
| February 2026 | 140.749 | -3.6% | +2.4% |
| January 2026 | 142.337 | -2.2% | +2.4% |
| December 2025 | 143.744 | -0.5% | +2.7% |
| November 2025 | 145.312 | +0.6% | +2.7% |
| October 2025 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| September 2025 | 149.597 | +4.2% | +3.0% |
| August 2025 | 149.222 | +4.3% | +2.9% |
| July 2025 | 149.036 | +4.4% | +2.7% |
| June 2025 | 148.380 | +3.4% | +2.7% |
| May 2025 | 147.508 | +2.9% | +2.4% |
| April 2025 | 147.173 | +3.3% | +2.3% |
| March 2025 | 146.540 | +3.1% | +2.4% |
| February 2025 | 145.972 | +3.9% | +2.8% |
| January 2025 | 145.551 | +4.0% | +3.0% |
| December 2024 | 144.482 | +4.8% | +2.9% |
| November 2024 | 144.499 | +5.9% | +2.7% |
| October 2024 | 144.240 | +6.8% | +2.6% |
| September 2024 | 143.544 | +7.5% | +2.4% |
| August 2024 | 143.026 | +3.3% | +2.5% |
| July 2024 | 142.822 | -0.6% | +2.9% |
| June 2024 | 143.455 | -4.2% | +3.0% |
| May 2024 | 143.303 | -7.7% | +3.3% |
| April 2024 | 142.540 | -11.6% | +3.4% |
| March 2024 | 142.123 | -15.2% | +3.5% |
| February 2024 | 140.498 | -19.7% | +3.2% |
| January 2024 | 139.891 | -23.3% | +3.1% |
| December 2023 | 137.923 | -27.1% | +3.4% |
| November 2023 | 136.472 | -30.3% | +3.1% |
| October 2023 | 135.000 | -34.0% | +3.2% |
Sources
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, not seasonally adjusted, series CUUR0000 plus item code, retrieved through the BLS Public Data API
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI news release Table 2, September 2026
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Measuring price change in the CPI: medical care
Checked 29 October 2026. BLS did not publish most October 2025 index values because of the 2025 lapse in federal appropriations, and did not publish November 2025 for motor vehicle insurance. Those months show as not published.