Reg Chapman joined WCCO-TV in May of 2009. He came to WCCO from WNBC-TV in New York City where he covered an array of stories for the station including the Coney Island plane crash, the crane collapse on the city's east side, 50 shots fired at motorist Sean Bell by New York Police, and a lacrosse team assault at Fairfield High School in Connecticut.

It's open enrollment season for both employees and retirees, and as you begin to look at health insurance options, experts say you can expect employer-sponsored health plans to jump between 6% and 7%

Minnesota Democrats are sounding the alarm.

"We are in an affordability crisis in Minnesota right now. People are seeing their costs skyrocket across the board, and that's why it's unconscionable that this fall we are up to 50% increases in health care premiums for Minnesotans," said Rep. Jamie Long, D-Minneapolis.

"Almost 90,000 will see their premiums spike up," said Sen. Alice Mann, D-Edina. "Health care costs are going to increase for everyone."

But even if you get your health care through your job or labor union, you'll likely be paying higher prices.

"Costs sort of always go up in health care at a rate roughly faster than inflation. That's been true for the last 20 years," said Matthew Rae, associate director of the program on the health care marketplace at KFF, an independent health policy research, polling and news organization.

KFF's annual benchmark health benefits survey says family premiums are up 6% over last year, reaching a record high.

"When we ask employers what they're seeing as sort of cost drivers, they tell us new prescription drugs are a big driver of health care prices," Rae said. "You can't ignore prices. What happens is as prices go up, hospitals charge more money, doctors charge more money. All of that gets fed back into higher premiums, and we all end up paying for it."

When choosing your plan, make sure it covers the types of services you need and find in-network doctors.

If you're healthy, you may want to consider a high-deductible plan, which would offer lower monthly premiums.

Health care premiums are on the rise. Here's how to keep your costs low.