It is difficult to determine what is the average price of health insurance. A study by Kaiser determined that in 2008 the average cost of a individual health insurance through an employer was $4,700 per year, and that of a four person family, again in the case of employer-provided private health care, was $12,700 per year.

It is generally agreed that insurance purchased by the consumer without either government aid or through an employer’s group health plan will cost substantially more. It has been determined that an average Californian using COBRA will spend $380 per month in premiums, though subsidization can alter that amount to varying degrees for varied periods of time.

According to the US Census Bureau 84% of US residents have health care, and only 9% obtain it privately. The remainder are receiving insurance through an employer provided plan, or through some form of subsidized government program. The remaining 16 % of the nation is uninsured. That alone provides a vivid understanding of the average price of health insurance.

If it is assumed that, for the average user, an independent single insurance plan will cost greater than the $4,700 established for employer-provided health care in the Kaiser study, then it can be assumed that privately obtained plans are likely to cost as much and more with the cost rising as age or other health complications are factored in. When evaluating health plans offered the baseline of the average costs of employer-provided plans at least gives a number to work from.

Given the current unsettled state of the nation in respect to its health care system, however, it remains difficult to provide a clear indication of what average health insurance costs would be in any instance for any prolonged period of time.

The best advice available is to use employer-provided health care if offered, government-provided health care when you are eligible, temporary bridging plans like COBRA if you can afford them and can’t find other insurance, and look into reduced plans through hospitals and clinics if you are unable to address your health care plans any other way.

That is not, perhaps, the most reassuring recommendation. It is, however, realistic: the current state of the economy, the fluid state of the legal issue of how the American Health Care system is going to be structured, and ever increasing rise in health care costs makes any other advice irresponsible.

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