Hey there, happy Friday. It’s open enrollment season again, which means asking yourself some tough questions.

Questions like “What am I going to spend my last FSA money on?” “What’s an embedded deductible again?” And most importantly, “How can I afford premiums that are rising way faster than wages and inflation?”

My colleague Sam Fields is taking that first one, but read on for more on your money and the AI agents looking to spend it.  — Tony Wagner, newsletter editor

If you are in the majority of people under 65 who get health insurance through an employer, you’ve probably noticed it’s getting more expensive.

Premiums for people with employer-sponsored insurance rose 9% this year, on average, according to a new survey from the health policy nonprofit KFF . All indications are they’re on track to rise again next year.

We are heading into open enrollment season, that time of year when you sign up for health insurance.

“Everywhere you look, costs are going up this year,” said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor at Georgetown University's Center on Health Insurance Reforms.

Most people with employer-sponsored coverage can expect to see higher premiums next year, especially if they work for smaller companies, she said.

“If they're lucky enough to have a choice of more than one plan, they may be able to shift to a lower cost plan, but often that will come with downsides, like a narrower network or a higher deductible,” she said.

Employer-sponsored insurance has long been the backbone of the U.S. healthcare system. “But that backbone is really starting to crumble,” said Corlette.

U.S. ports continue to have a banner year. The Port of Long Beach just had its best month in its 115-year history. It imported nearly 1 million shipping containers in September, despite tariffs, wars, and inflation. In fact, those might actually be boosting imports.

And we’re not talking about the election in Texas. A “Marketplace” fan wrote in to ask about the cost to put on 5Ks, marathons and other big races. Each race creates its own little economy as more people travel and pay to participate; races also momentarily distort local economies through road closures and hotel stays. The total price tag? As much as a million for a marathon in a major city, experts say.