What percentage of Americans can afford to spend $625 a month for health insurance for one person?

[Brian B]

625/month = 7K annually, or 315,000 over a life time. (Assuming 45 years of work between when you can leave your parents insurance at 25 and get on SS/Medicare at 70)

Compared to the average medical costs a person accrues over a lifetime, 316,000 (according to the NIH, assuming you like to 85, at current costs) you end up paying the exact same amount, only rationed over a lifetime, rather than being paid in a lump sum when you need it.

Why is this good for you? Because should you ever experience a disaster, or medical emergency, the costs will be outrageous. Cancer treatment can run up 100,000 dollars a year, which unless you are outrageously wealthy, is not affordable. This is the point of insurance. If you go through your whole life, and you never used your insurance one time, you win. You didn't "lose" money, you beat the system, and lucked out having never been the victim of calamity. So be responsible, and pay your insurance premiums so that when you need them you aren't bankrupted.