Health care costs have been skyrocketing. In 2008, costs were about $7,600 per person in the united states. That is a really high number, over $30,000 for a family of 4. Of course a lot of this cost is concentrated in a few services that may only occur once or twice in a lifetime - like open heart surgery or a stay in the nicu. If you get hit with one of these costs, and you don't have family health insurance, you're going to be ruined financially.
The good thing is though, those costs are paying for world class health care. Many Americans are still alive today thanks to cutting edge technologies and high skilled professionals, which comes at a cost.
