Healthcare expenses are pushing Texas businesses to a breaking point…
“Every year, it can change on you in a heartbeat,” Kyle Citrano, whose family runs George’s, George’s #2 and Jorge’s Cantina, told The Texas Tribune. “You could have your rates jump because your participation is down, someone on your staff could get hurt. You never know.”
And it’s not just private businesses that are getting hammered by high healthcare expenses. Taxpayers are paying more every year for public employee benefits, like those available to teachers and firefighters.
But Texas lawmakers have an opportunity to pull us back from the brink.
Texas Representative James Frank told The Texas Tribune that while he has not begun crafting legislation for the coming legislative session, he hopes to build consensus around three main areas: making sure employers and patients know the price of a given treatment ahead of time, more competition in the healthcare market and greater transparency for patients that allows them to make the best choices for the health of both their body and wallet.
“Transparency allows employers to spot wide price variations of nearly 200 percent in the same market for the same care. They can steer employees to less expensive options and fulfill their fiduciary duty to offer high-value benefits.”
—Vivan Ho, Ph.D. in The Hill
A Fireside Chat With Mark Cuban
HBCH ANNUAL FORUM · AUG 26–27, 2026 · HOUSTON
He’ll be speaking with Christine Hale, MD, Chief Medical Officer, US Benefits, Gallagher at next month’s Houston Business Coalition on Health Annual Forum.
HEADLINE NEWS
Health benefit expenses rising faster than expected
Health benefit expenses are on pace to increase 6.7% in 2026, pushing the average cost above $18,500 per employee, according to recent data from consulting firm Mercer, higher than what the firm estimated last fall.
Tackling healthcare consolidation through ownership transparency
Nine hospitals in the Houston area have received warnings by federal regulators for failing to provide transparent pricing information for healthcare treatments, according to an analysis by the Associated Press.
How market forces are driving up healthcare prices in Texas
“Families and employers know healthcare is becoming less affordable, but the reasons aren’t always obvious,” said Alec Mendoza, policy advisor for health and economic mobility at Texas 2036 and report author. “Many of the biggest drivers of higher prices happen through market dynamics that patients rarely see.”
Watch: ‘Robust’ Primary Care, Transparency Top Employers’ Reform Wish List
In this “How Would You Fix It?” interview, Julie Rovner, KFF Health News’ chief Washington correspondent and host of the What the Health? podcast, sat down with Elizabeth Mitchell, the president and CEO of the Purchaser Business Group on Health, to discuss solutions to out-of-control healthcare prices.