From: http://www.nchc.org/facts/cost.shtml

...

In 2007, total national health expenditures were expected to rise 6.9 percent — two times the rate of inflation.

...

In 2007, employer health insurance premiums increased by 6.1 percent - two times the rate of inflation. The annual premium for an employer health plan covering a family of four averaged nearly $12,100. The annual premium for single coverage averaged over $4,400.

Experts agree that our health care system is riddled with inefficiencies, excessive administrative expenses, inflated prices, poor management, and inappropriate care, waste and fraud. These problems significantly increase the cost of medical care and health insurance for employers and workers and affect the security of families.

National Health Care Spending

• In 2007, health care spending in the United States reached $2.3 trillion, and was projected to reach $3 trillion in 2011.¹ Health care spending is projected to reach $4.2 trillion by 2016.¹
• Health care spending is 4.3 times the amount spent on national defense.³
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• In 2005, the United States spent 16 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on health care. It is projected that the percentage will reach 20 percent by 2016.¹
• ^...
• Health care spending accounted for 10.9 percent of the GDP in Switzerland, 10.7 percent in Germany, 9.7 percent in Canada and 9.5 percent in France, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.⁴

Employer and Employee Health Insurance Costs

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• Premiums for employer-based health insurance rose by 6.1 percent in 2007. Small employers saw their premiums, on average, increase 5.5 percent. Firms with less than 24 workers, experienced an increase of 6.8 percent.²
• The annual premium that a health insurer charges an employer for a health plan covering a family of four averaged $12,100 in 2007. Workers contributed nearly $3,300, or 10 percent more than they did in 2006.² The annual premiums for family coverage significantly eclipsed the gross earnings for a full-time, minimum-wage worker ($10,712).
^...

The Impact of Rising Health Care Costs

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• A recent study by Harvard University researchers found that the average out-of-pocket medical debt for those who filed for bankruptcy was $12,000. The study noted that 68 percent of those who filed for bankruptcy had health insurance. In addition, the study found that 50 percent of all bankruptcy filings were partly the result of medical expenses.¹³ Every 30 seconds in the United States someone files for bankruptcy in the aftermath of a serious health problem.
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From: http://www.cbpp.org/8-29-06health.htm

Data released today by the Census Bureau show that the number of uninsured Americans stood at a record 46.6 million in 2005, with 15.9 percent of Americans lacking health coverage.

I am in college and my health care is super cheap through school.

Next year I will be out of college and unable to pay for health care.

I am 26 and in college in Florida, my insurance is $2973 per year. The median insurance for a single person in FL is around $3800 (I don't feel like finding the exact number right now).

This is really the key problem:

--- In 2005, the United States spent 16 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on health care. It is projected that the percentage will reach 20 percent by 2016.

--- Health care spending accounted for 10.9 percent of the GDP in Switzerland, 10.7 percent in Germany, 9.7 percent in Canada and 9.5 percent in France, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Data released today by the Census Bureau show that the number of uninsured Americans stood at a record 46.6 million in 2005, with 15.9 percent of Americans lacking health coverage.


Notice in the U.S. the costs are higher AND less people are covered.

I pay around 30$ a year for my health care.

To be fair, the Netherlands pays more taxes.  But they pay less total % of GDP and cover everyone.  That is my issue.  I am not calling for socialized medicine.  I am calling for people to demand that their political leaders stop bankrupting the middle class for kickbacks and financing from the special interests, by limiting competition and keeping prices artificially high.

Damn. At U.C. Berkeley here it's like $600 or $700 for the whole year. They automatically add it to your tuition unless you opt out a few weeks before school starts and they deduct the cost from your bill.

But yeah, America's totally fucked. We shouldn't be paying more for less.

We could give health care to every single person for far less money. I can't think of a reason not to anymore, unless of course... you're rich. The majority of people aren't rich and they need to remember that when they vote, the suckers.

Every time somebody votes for tax cuts and then goes bankrupt because they can't pay for health care, they should get bitch smacked.

Get a cheap flight to the uk whenever you're sick, and you'll never need to pay anything for healthcare! (Other than the cost of the flight).

I should change my country. I am from Belgium not the Netherlands. My wife is from the Netherlands. But I guess we pay more taxes aswell in Belgium.

I really wish we would adopt the UK health care system or something like it :(