From USAFacts · · 1m 30s
How I learned to love US healthcare data
US healthcare costs reveal $13,265 per person in 2024 with uninsured spending hidden in asterisks.
In brief
US healthcare costs reveal $13,265 per person in 2024 with uninsured spending hidden in asterisks. US healthcare spending reached $13,265 per person in 2024, but costs for the uninsured remain unquantified due to data gaps. Originally reported by USAFacts.
Quick answers
- Why healthcare costs?
- Healthcare costs dominated policy debates in 2025 including Medicaid funding and ACA subsidy expiration.
- What is the key takeaway from How I learned to love US healthcare data?
- US healthcare spending reached $13,265 per person in 2024, but costs for the uninsured remain unquantified due to data gaps.
Why healthcare costs?
Healthcare costs dominated policy debates in 2025 including Medicaid funding and ACA subsidy expiration.
2024 healthcare spending
US healthcare spending reached $13,265 per person in 2024, nearly 10 times higher than 1960 after inflation adjustment.
Uninsured population
14.3% of young adults ages 19 to 25 were uninsured in 2024.
Data sources
The National Health Expenditure Accounts (NHEA) tracks healthcare spending since 1960 but can't separate out-of-pocket costs by insurance type.
MEPS data
The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) provides out-of-pocket costs by insurance type and uninsured spending data.
Uninsured costs
15 million americans had medical debt over $500 in 2023 according to consumer financial protection bureau.
Medical debt
Hospitals reported $39.3 billion in charity care and bad debt for underpaid care in FY 2021.
Uninsured spending
Federal government spending on uninsured healthcare costs is at least $1 billion but likely tens of billions.
Data gaps
Healthcare costs for the uninsured remain unquantified due to data limitations and underreporting.
Conclusion
US healthcare spending for the uninsured is underestimated but critical to address through better data collection.
Here's the gist
US healthcare spending reached $13,265 per person in 2024, but costs for the uninsured remain unquantified due to data gaps.
