Health care math

If total US health care cost are 2.2 trillion (2,200,000,000,000) and there are 308 million (308,000,000) people in the US; that is $7,143 / person per year - or $595 / month / person.

If elective procedures account for 26% ($1,857), then non-elective costs become $5,286 / year - or $440 / month / person.

Keep in mind that the numbers include profit margins for health services, doctors, pharma etc. While it is a gross over-simplification, we might say that $440 / month would cover everyone for everything that is not elective. You'd have to pay for your own facelift.

Okay - now say we toss in a deductible of 15% transferring $66/ month to the actual consumers of health care. The "EE" (everyone for everything) cost goes down to $374 / month / person.

USA Today reports that the average health insurance policy (varying coverages and deductibles) is $402 / person / month.

Now, we start shifting the cost around based on risk factors and we get a range between $125 and $675 / person / month.

There you have it.