Health Care by the Numbers

In the past decade, Insurance premiums paid by Americans have increased by 131%.

In 2004, 18% of insured Americans had medical bill problems. ThatŐs up from 14% in 2001.

This year on average a family of four spent $17,000 on health care. ThatŐs 19% of the familyŐs total income.

In 2019, that figure is expected to climb to $39,000 per year, which is 31% of the average family income.

Some insurance companies charge women 48% more than men due to their gender rating.

In the current system, the average cost of a pregnancy with no complication is $7,500.

27% of women who had health problems requiring a medical attention were unable to see a doctor, compared to 21 percent of men.

Health insurance companies in some areas charge seniors 11 times more than younger Americans.

41 states do not even limit the amount that insurance companies can charge based on age in the individual market.

The average American age 50 to 64 has a credit card debt of $2,000 due to medical needs.

17.4% of insurance claims filed by individuals age 50 to 54 were rejected in 2006

22.3% of insurance claims filed by individuals age 55 to 59 were rejected in 2006

28.7% of insurance claims filed by individuals age 60 to 64 were rejected in 2006

16% of uninsured Americans are children.

7.3 million children were uninsured in 2008.

On average, doctors spend 43 minutes per day dealing with insurance companies, and roughly 142 hours per year.

Physicians in America waste $31 billion per year in time lost due to dealing with insurance companies. On average, thatŐs $68,274 per physician per year.

Waste and inefficiencies in our health care system cost us $800 billion each year.

In 2008 46.3 million Americans were without health insurance. ThatŐs 700,000 more than in 2007, and nearly 8 million more than in 2000.

For more information on these statistics and the status of Healthcare in the United States, please visit www.americanprogress.org