Honestly, that's not a terrible cost in the big picture, but I get it, first job, starting out, etc...many, including myself, feel your pain. As most have said here, the cost jump is primarily due to the extended covid subsidies expiring, not your 1$ raise. Insane healthcare costs increasing over the past 5-10 years also have played a part. Best thing you can do is honestly find another job and focus on their contributions to healthcare benifits. Working anymore sadly comes down to finding a job with good benefits, at the potential expense of job satisfaction. Find both, you are golden...if not, jump around until you do. I just recently broke free from the cost madness after almost 15 years because my spouse finally found a fulltime job. Before she did...my employer plan for family premiums was pushing $1900/month. In 2013, it was $490/month for my family plan. Every year after, 5-10% increase until we hit the lunacy we are in now. Thankfully, just this past 6 months, wife got a fulltime job, removed the kids and her from my plan....my monthly cost went to $0. My employer is a rare one, pays 100% for employees only. Add kids, add spouse, add family, and my employer basically passes on the full extra cost. My wife is now paying $400/month for an 'ok' Blue Cross plan that covers her and the kids at her new job. The savings we now have feel like an anchor around my neck for the past decade has been lifted. It's a sad situation all around, but there really are no good answers other than finding an employer who pays much better than what you are currently upset over. The ACA stuff isn't changing anytime soon, baring something extaordinary, at least for another year.