What Are Your Out-of-Pocket Costs for Healthcare?

By Kenneth M. Kambara On March 31, 2012 · Leave a Comment

US & Canadian Out of Pocket Costs for Healthcare, 1989-2009

Deep in the research labs here at the Mercer Street Medical Case, we were researching articles on patients’ experiences with health care costs. Paul found this LA Times article on the cost of an ER visit, on which we’ll be doing a more in-depth post on soon. This article got me thinking about what the out-of-pocket healthcare costs are in the US and Canada. Above is a graph of the per capita costs since 1989 from OECD data. While this is aggregate data and doesn’t break things down by insured vs. uninsured, pharmaceutical expenditures, etc., it’s illuminating since in Canada, the provincial and territorial governments cover all citizens and permanent residents, regardless of income, age, or employment status. So, in any event, the per capita out-of-pocket for Americans ($976.20) was over 1.5 times the amount for Canadians ($635.60), albeit in very different systems for health delivery.

We’re wondering…what are your out-of-pocket costs for healthcare? Feel free to comment and share your thoughts on the form below or use this link.

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Gallery Beat Media

After completing and gaining theatrical, television, downloads and DVD distribution for the film, Guest of Cindy Sherman, which is culled from the archival footage of GBTV, there’s been a clamor for all forms of GalleryBeat—old and new. So, we have started a new little monster, GalleryBeat Media.

GalleryBeat Media is the engine behind the Mercer Street Medical Case.
GB 98 FB
GalleryBeat 98 Filmlike
Director Bio

Paul H-O (Hasegawa-Overacker)-Producer/Director
Paul is the writer, producer, and lead director of the feature 2008 documentary, GUEST OF CINDY SHERMAN. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and went on to 29 festivals worldwide. It went theatrical internationally in 2009-10, and is rotation on the Sundance Channel and Sky TV (UK). GUEST OF CINDY SHERMAN has also been screened at the Jacob Burns Center, as well as The Bloor Theatre in Toronto for Hot Docs.
Since 2010 H-O has made short films on George Herms, FIVE DECADES OF MADNESS and PIANO FOR MONK, which is part of the in-production feature documentary, VENICE TO VENICE. He also directed DECODED (2010-11), about the grunge era poster artist, Jim Evans, and directed/produced numerous videos. He is the creator of GalleryBeat TV (1993-2001) the director/ host for Cooking with GalleryBeat, a Talk Show, which now is a live event at the Brooklyn Museum (last BM show 10/06/11). Other credits include writer and critic for Artnet.com magazine (1996-2003), Art in America (film 1998) and The Surfer's Journal (2003-present). He has been featured as a subject or guest in the New York Times, NPR, The Village Voice, Salon.com, Kurt Anderson's Studio 360, and has been a guest artist/filmmaker for many universities and museums since 1985. He attended one year of college.