Per capita cost annually for US Healthcare is over $10,000

[MineralMan]

That number lies behind the difficulty we are having and is one of the highest in the world. It is untenable. Controlling that is an essential step to any healthcare plan.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/new-peak-us-health-care-spending-10345-per-person/

[ileus]

1. We were close to or over 80k last year.

Somewhere around 5-7k was out of pocket.

[GeorgeGist]

2. Another brick in the wall ...

of unsustainability.

[Tatiana]

3. Japan consistently spends just over $4,000.

Canada spends about $4,500.

The UK spends $4,000.

Japan spends $4,200.

Health care costs are literally stifling us.

Competition is not the ultimate answer. We need to bring the wildly augmented costs for services under control, pool resources, subsidize med school for talented future doctors and bring the salaries and insurance costs down. As it stands, talented physicians demand high salaries because they often graduate with 6-figure debt that has to be repaid.

Basic tests (e.g. lab tests, X-rays) in these countries are a standard flat rate. But here in the US, the rates vary widely. It's why some people hop states or even travel to different countries for medical care.