How much does the average American spend out-of-pocket on healthcare?

Asked by: Nyah Rempel  |  Last update: October 19, 2025
Score: 4.5/5 (45 votes)

Given that the average household income in the U.S. is $87,864, as of 2023, that means the average American family spends at least $4,393 in these expenses each year.

How much does the average American pay per month for healthcare?

The average national monthly health insurance cost for one person on an Affordable Care Act (ACA) plan without premium tax credits in 2024 is $477.

How much should I budget for out-of-pocket medical expenses?

On average, we estimate the typical single person with employer-sponsored coverage contributes $1,550 per year toward his or her premium, and pays an additional $900 per year in out-of-pocket health costs (such as deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance).

What percentage of people spend $1000 or more in out-of-pocket costs annually?

Overall, 18.5 percent of people had out-of-pocket expenses greater than $1,000, and 8.4 percent had out-of-pocket expenses greater than $2,000. However, the percentage with greater than $1,000 in out-of-pocket expenses ranged from 7.0 percent for children under age 18 to 35.4 percent for the elderly aged 65 and older.

What does the average American spend out of pocket on healthcare?

Given that the average household income in the U.S. is $87,864, as of 2023, that means the average American family spends at least $4,393 in these expenses each year.

Healthcare is NOT a right | Ben Shapiro

29 related questions found

What is the biggest expense for the average person?

Average monthly spending on housing: $2,120 (5% increase)

Housing is by far the largest expense for Americans.

What age group spends the most money on healthcare?

Per person personal health care spending for the 65 and older population was $22,356 in 2020, over 5 times higher than spending per child ($4,217) and almost 2.5 times the spending per working-age person ($9,154).

How much is a hospital bill without insurance?

The average per-day hospital cost in the U.S. is $2,883, with California ($4,181) the most expensive, and Mississippi ($1,305) the least. The average hospital stay is 4.6 days, at an average cost of $13,262. If surgery is involved, hospital costs soar through the roof.

What is a typical out-of-pocket maximum?

Out-of-pocket maximum limits

The government has set limits that control how much healthcare insurers can charge for covered services per year. These are: For the 2022 plan year: The out-of-pocket limit for a Marketplace plan can't be more than $8,700 for an individual and $17,400 for a family.

What happens in America if you can't afford healthcare?

Americans are no longer taxed for not carrying health insurance. Medical debt contributes to a large number of bankruptcies in America. Access to quality primary care is critical, but doctors have the right to refuse patients without insurance or who are able to pay out-of-pocket expenses.

Is it cheaper to pay medical bills out-of-pocket?

Fernandez: What many people don't realize, is even if you're insured with a high deductible health plan, paying out of pocket may cost less than using your insurance – and the cost could be dramatically different between the hospital, your doctor's office, or your local urgent care.

How much does the average citizen pay for healthcare?

The data are presented by type of service, sources of funding, and type of sponsor. U.S. health care spending grew 7.5 percent in 2023, reaching $4.9 trillion or $14,570 per person. As a share of the nation's Gross Domestic Product, health spending accounted for 17.6 percent.

Is $200 a month expensive for health insurance?

Is $200 a month expensive for health insurance in California? Health insurance that costs $200 per month is a good deal in California. Silver plans typically cost $513 per month for a 21-year-old or $656 per month for a 40-year-old.

What if I need surgery but can't afford my deductible?

In cases like this, we recommend contacting your insurance, surgeon, or hospital and asking if they can help you with a payment plan. Remember that your surgery provider wants to get paid so they may be very willing to work with you on a payment plan.

Can insurance refuse to pay hospital bills?

Reasons your insurance may not approve a request or deny payment: Services are deemed not medically necessary. Services are no longer appropriate in a specific health care setting or level of care. You are not eligible for the benefit requested under your health plan.

How much does 1 week in ICU cost?

Mean intensive care unit cost and length of stay were 31,574 +/- 42,570 dollars and 14.4 days +/- 15.8 for patients requiring mechanical ventilation and 12,931 +/- 20,569 dollars and 8.5 days +/- 10.5 for those not requiring mechanical ventilation.

Is it better to have health insurance or pay out of pocket?

People without insurance pay, on average, twice as much for care. This means when you use a network provider you pay less for the same services than someone who doesn't have coverage – even before you meet your deductible.

Why is US healthcare so expensive?

There are many possible reasons for that increase in healthcare prices: The introduction of new, innovative healthcare technology can lead to better, more expensive procedures and products. The complexity of the U.S. healthcare system can lead to administrative waste in the insurance and provider payment systems.

What is the golden age of healthcare?

The 'golden age of medicine' - the first half of the 20th century, reaching its zenith with Jonas Salk's 1955 polio vaccine - was a time of profound advances in surgical techniques, immunization, drug discovery, and the control of infectious disease; however, when the burden of disease shifted to lifestyle-driven, ...

Who spends the least on healthcare?

The countries with the lowest governmental health expenditure include South Sudan, Eritrea and Bangladesh. In 2021 the U.S. national health expenditure was at an all-time high. However, the projections indicate that total health expenditures will increase even more.

How much does the average American live on per day?

How much does the average person spend a day? The average person spends about $211.73 per day, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

What is the average cost of living for a 3 person family?

Average Monthly Expenses for a Family of Three

The average monthly expenses for a three-person household in 2022 were $7,189, or $86,265 per year. That's a 9% increase over 2021, when a family of three spent an average of $6,597 monthly.

What is the 50/30/20 rule in budgeting?

Those will become part of your budget. The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.