Costly health insurance premiums are straining employers and consumers alike. But, it’s underlying health care spending, especially for hospital care, that’s driving costs. KFF’s Larry Levitt looks at how hospital consolidation and employer demands for broad networks affect insurers’ ability, and willingness, to control prices in this first video of a three-part series on health insurers and rising health care costs.

Insurers take a cut of every premium dollar for overhead and profit. The question isn't just whether they profit, but also whether we’re getting value in return. KFF’s Larry Levitt breaks down how much goes to administrative costs and profit and how that varies across private insurance markets and Medicare, and considers what a Medicare-for-all system, which would be operated by the government, would address and what might be left unresolved in this second video…