The high cost of health insurance premiums is front and center in the federal government shutdown. As usual, there’s no shortage of politicians pointing fingers and placing blame. But it is a reality that health care premiums are skyrocketing for virtually everyone, not just the people who have coverage through the Affordable Care Act.

For seniors who have coverage through Medicare, for example, the basic coverage for Part B is currently $185 per month. Part B covers outpatient hospital services, and next year the premium will be $206.50. Additionally, the deductible will increase by $38 to $288.

And that’s just part of the story. Because in 2024, more than 4.2 million seniors, about 8 percent of those on Medicare, paid significantly more in premiums. That’s due to the Income-Related Mon

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