Percentage increase of employees share of premium costs is meaningless. It is the increase costs coming out of workers pockets and paychecks that matter.
Gas is the only exception to the average CPI index increase of 2.5% annual because it is traded on the international market and subject to external supply and demand factors.
Even then, the value for many consumers has risen as a result of having cars with better gas mileage.
As opposed to health care premiums rising 127% while at the same time, other health care costs have also risen -- deductables, co-pays, etc.
And Syrian lives are still not worth less.
Now be a good boy and eat your pie, ace.
added:
See the last column of the
CPI index, average percent increase.