Paying Medical Expenses Out-of-Pocket

Americans incur $1.5 trillion in health care service expenses in a year's time—an average of $5,531 per person with expense, according to the government's Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Those with medical expenses pay an average of $686 out-of-pocket—or 12.4 percent of the total. There are big differences in the out-of-pocket share of expense by type of service...

Percent of health care service expenses paid out-of-pocket
12.4% for all health care services 
2.6% for hospital inpatient services
5.9% for hospital outpatient services
6.6% for home health care services
9.0% for emergency room services
11.6% for physical/occupational therapist visits
11.8% for nurse/nurse practitioner visits
13.0% for physician visits
13.5% for physician assistant visits
13.9% for prescription drugs
35.6% for optometrist visits
35.7% for chiropractor visits
40.6% for dental visits
58.6% for orthodontist visits
60.9% for eyeglasses/contact lenses

Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2014 Expenditures Per Person by Health Care Service