Sticker Shock

Your Health Insurance Is About To Cost More. Again.

Skimm’d by: Anna Davies and Samantha Darby

What's going on: That promotion you just got? That extra cash may be intercepted by the insurance overlords. Per-employee health benefit costs are expected to surge over 8.2% in 2027, the steepest single-year jump since 2003, according to the consulting firm Marsh. Employers are wasting no time passing along the pain to employees: 71% already have, or are considering, “plan design enhancements.” (Spoiler: It means higher deductibles and more out-of-pocket costs.) Even companies historically revered for platinum-tier perks are pumping the brakes. Individual marketplace shoppers are also hurting. With pandemic-era federal tax credits expiring, Obamacare premiums are set to spike by double digits, leaving gig workers and freelancers to do some very stressful spreadsheet math.

Why is there a price hike?: There are a few things at play, like a skyrocketing demand for GLP-1s taking a massive bite out of pharmacy budgets. Groundbreaking autoimmune therapies and oncology biologics also routinely run thousands of dollars per infusion. But basic inflation is another major culprit, according to Anna Sinaiko, MD, associate professor at Harvard's School of Public Health. Higher labor rates and pricier everyday supplies — like saline bags, gauze, and surgical gloves — have driven up operating costs across hospital systems. With the midterms in the rearview mirror, the blue wave arriving in January is armed with potential solutions, like a broader Medicare for All path — which nearly two-thirds of Americans support. Proof few things cut across party lines quite like an unexpected Explanation of Benefits (EOB).

Related: How Paying Cash for Medical Care Can Help Cut Your Bills (Yahoo)

PS: Healthcare costs? Absurd. Healthcare knowledge? Free. Every Wednesday in Skimm Well + Good, we deliver the latest, pro-science health news you actually need to know.  Sign up here.

Fresh In My White Tee 

The Met Takes on Everyday Fashion

Skimm’d by: Aryanna Prasad Bhullar and Maria Corpus

What’s going on: Well, the Met Gala didn’t listen to our suggestions to include a little sparkle in its new 2027 theme (sorry, Dolly Parton and Bob Mackie, we tried). Instead, the annual event is going in the opposite direction with an understated focus: everyday fashion. Titled “extraOrdinary: Fashion and the Poetics of the Everyday,” it’s all about jeans, T-shirts, and — gasp — possibly sweatpants with a high fashion touch. Apparently, “everyday” includes other quotidian items like paper, plastic, and bubble wrap (we can see the bubble wrap gowns already). The exhibition will feature hundreds of not-so-ordinary everyday items from the museum’s current collection as well as donated pieces. (Brooke Shields's famous Calvin Klein jeans from 1980 made the cut.) The concept comes after the Met pivoted from its original theme commemorating controversial designer John Galliano.

Blue jeans… so provocative?: Actually, yes. And at last year’s Met Gala, model Bhavitha Mandava caught flak for wearing a pair of Chanel jeans and a quarter-zip. But as CNN put it, she was “just 12 months ahead of her time.” (Rihanna was one day ahead.) The internet seems split on the theme: It’s been called boring, lazy, and safe. One commenter wondered if the everyday is only elevated “once the right people approve it.” Fashion critics note the complex relationship between adopting trends from workwear and working-class attire, which can end in inaccessible luxury appropriation (like making a flannel shirt out of cashmere, or the fact that humble Levi’s can now start at nearly $80). Others say it’s a natural progression in society. Workwear and uniforms helped form the foundation of modern menswear, with younger generations embracing chore coats and carpenter pants. We’re ready for the inevitable Carhartt ensemble.

Related: Um, But There Will Still Be Met Gala Gowns, Right? (Harper’s Bazaar)

The Chore Czar

Everyone Needs an Errand Runner

Skimm’d by: Stephanie Gallman and Samantha Darby

What’s going on: If you've ever wished for an extra adult in the house, meet your new household COO: the house manager. A placement agency owned by Care.com reported a 64% increase in requests for house managers this year compared to last year. Think Alice from The Brady Bunch or Geoffrey from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Responsibilities range from loading the dishwasher to organizing clothes to scheduling doctor’s appointments, or dropping off Amazon returns. While one house manager in New Jersey aims to make her client’s home look like no one lives there (but why?), an LA mom hired hers for dinner prep so she could focus on tasks she actually enjoys — like school pickup.

A mental load respite: If outsourcing the mundane household tasks sounds too good to be true — and wildly out of reach for anyone outside the 1% (raises hand) — don’t write it off just yet. House managers typically earn between $25 and $45 per hour for 10 to 40 hours per week. While spending that kind of cash in this economy can be a privilege for many, some families — especially moms who carry the mental load — find that budgeting for a few hours of help has eased tension in strained marriages and restored sanity. And it’s a win-win for the house managers who say they’re making a living doing things they truly enjoy. “It’s mind-boggling that people pay me to do laundry, meal prep, and play in their garden,” an Atlanta-based house manager told The Wall Street Journal. But perhaps it’s time to discuss the perfection expectation that got us here in the first place. Is there a manager to rid us of that?

Related: This Mental Health Coach Helps Couples Divide Chores and Learn What Not To Say (The Times)  

Quick Hits

🎬 A new documentary will revisit the foiled terrorist plot that forced Taylor Swift to cancel her 2024 Vienna concerts, covering how authorities stopped the attack and how Swifties rallied together in its aftermath.

🎾 The WTA will now livestream practices without audio after a hot mic caught Jessica Pegula calling a fellow tennis star a “diva” who “needs to be humbled.” What’s the opposite of love-all?

🍛 Listen, we love our leftovers, and we’ll take all the tips — including that cooked rice, gravy, and whipped cream have a shorter shelf life than we thought. Time to let go of the emotional support rice.

✈️ Think all economy seats are created equally miserable? A frequent flyer revealed which rows offer more legroom, which seats to avoid, and how to dodge the dreaded middle seat. Your knees need you to read this.

⚽ Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement from Portugal's national team after 23 years. Siuuu later, legend. 

🐻 Panera is challenging Starbucks' viral Bearista cup with limited-edition snowman cups. The cup industrial complex is snowballing.

Holiday Gifts for My Interior Designer Mom

Martha, Senior Commerce Writer, here. As you can imagine, buying a gift for Interior Designer Mom can be daunting. Her home is already so filled with treasures, what else could she possibly need? Luckily, I’ve found a few home items over the years that have brought me success (and will for you, too): 

• A fancy hand soap she always wants a restock on 

• A tulipiere vase she loves so much that she leaves it out year-round 

• A coffee table book I always find her flipping through

• A handmade berry bowl that she gifted to me and I can’t stop using  

PS: Want more options? Check out our gift guides here.