According to an annual survey released by the nonprofit health policy organization, Kaiser Family Foundation, the cost of employer health insurance is up seven percent for a second straight year, hurting both employers and workers.

Consecutive years of increased healthcare costs have added more than $3,000 to the average family premium, which reached about $25,000 this year. Employers spent about $18,000 more this year. 

Many businesses, particularly smaller ones, can’t keep up with the rising costs and workers ultimately endure those higher costs in other ways, like job cuts or smaller raise.

Even though inflation has cooled, stress on the sector is expected to continue for at least another year.