Health Insurance Statistics (2003 data)

• Health care spending now totals about 15% of the total U.S. economy. Health care cost increases have outpaced any other sector of the economy over the past 5, 10, 15 and 20 year periods. Prescription drugs accounted for about 16% of the inflation in health care costs.
• The average small business employer spends less than $2000 per full time employee per year for for health insurance benefits. -- Large companies spend about $4600 per year on avg.
• The number of Americans without health insurance is between 20 and 40 million. Most are only uninsured for a short period of time, making this group difficult to measure. Contrary to popular opinion, most are middle-income people. Relatively few lower income people lack health plans.
• The average life of an individual health insurance plan is just under one year. The average life of a small business health insurance policy is about 20 months.
• The average individual health insurance policy premium cost is about $1700 per year, including both individual and family coverage plans, but excluding short term medical plans.

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