If you have even a modest $500 deductible the chance that you will incur expenses sufficient to meet that deductible is less than 50%. Does that make you feel better? Probably not, but it’s a fact.
In 2014, the top 1% of persons by health care expenditures incurred 22.8 % of total health care spending with an annual mean expenditure of $107,208. The top 5% of the population accounted for 50.4 % of expenditures and a mean of $47,498 ; the bottom 50% accounted for only 2.8% of expenditures with a $264 mean expenditure.
Much of these expenses can be predicted especially for those with chronic conditions. The fear of health care expenses like no other unpredictable expense drives individuals to over-insure.
As I have mentioned before, dealing with health care bills is the least rational thing most people do.
