Benzinga·2025-10-27 07:06Core Viewpoint - Charlie Bilello criticizes government inflation data, particularly the calculation of health insurance costs, claiming it is misleading and inaccurate [1][4]. Health Insurance Costs - Government data suggests health insurance prices have decreased by 18% over the last five years, while Bilello argues they have actually increased by 26% during the same period [2][3]. - The average family health insurance premium has reached nearly $27,000 per year, marking a 365% increase from just under $6,000 in 1999 [3]. Government Methodology - Bilello describes the government's methodology as flawed, stating it relies on insurer profits rather than actual premiums paid by consumers [2][3]. - He emphasizes that the focus should be on the actual costs of health insurance rather than retained earnings of health insurance companies [3]. Impact on Public Trust - The inaccuracies in government data contribute to a misleading perception of overall inflation and undermine public trust in government statistics [4]. Health Insurer Performance - A summary of publicly traded health insurers shows varied year-to-date and one-year performance, with UnitedHealth Group Inc. experiencing a significant decline of 28.15% YTD [5]. - CVS Health Corp. stands out with an 85.28% YTD performance, while Centene Corp. has the lowest performance at -43.70% YTD [5].