The inflation rate for medical services is ridiculous. Nevada has a higher cost for medical services than the average.

Last time I was 2 days in the hospital for surgery the bill was about $23,000.00 the insurance paid about $18,000 I owed $2,470.00.

I had the same surgery done on the right side, a carotid endarterectomy, the gross amount was about $18,500.00 2 years before (July 2011) -- the insurer paid $14,800. To be fair, there was an additional ICU room charge (Nov 2013) of $2,375.00 for 1 day! As it goes, that cost is inflated near 7% a year and that is cheap compared to the chart above.

Aside: my insurance policy costs $580/mo for 1 person. I am 59, non smoker. If you or your wife are ever diagnosed seriously ill it could easily cost $50K to $100K today. Develop cancer or some exotic illness $250K or more. Sure it's fucked up what it costs but what is the solution to lower the costs: No insurance or cash up front or you die in the street, or national healthcare with a per person covered tax. Obamacare is a stopgap measure to national healthcare system.

The average health care in 2004 America http://www.justfacts.com/healthcare.asp#spending-age was $5,276 (according to this chart **see footnotes) 10 years later it is now over $8,000 PER PERSON - $8,915 => http://www.chcf.org/publications/201...care-costs-101 Looks about right I have seen similar amounts. So, $6,000 per person covered average for insurance premiums?

It' a hidden Medicare-Medicaid tax. The privately insured are paying for the low government paid reimbursements. Until there is a national healthcare system with some price control this will only get worse.