These hospital bills can be a real health scare!

Answer:

$30,000

 Questions:

• What are some potential consequences of high healthcare costs on individuals and families?
• What are some ways people can prepare for unexpected medical expenses if they don’t have health insurance?
• How might this cost influence someone’s decision to seek medical care for an illness or injury?

Here are the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day that you can use in your classroom. 

Behind the numbers (Healthcare.gov):

• Fixing a broken leg can cost up to $7,500
• The average cost of a 3-day hospital stay is around $30,000
• Comprehensive cancer care can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars

Health insurance provides important financial protection in case you have a serious accident or sickness. People without health coverage are exposed to these costs. This can sometimes lead people without coverage into deep debt or even into bankruptcy.
It’s easy to underestimate how much medical care can cost:

• Fixing a broken leg can cost up to $7,500
• The average cost of a 3-day hospital stay is around $30,000
• Comprehensive cancer care can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars

About the Author

Dave Martin

Dave joins NGPF with 15 years of teaching experience in math and computer science. After joining the New York City Teaching Fellows program and earning a Master's degree in Education from Pace University, his teaching career has taken him to New York, New Jersey and a summer in the north of Ghana. Dave firmly believes that financial literacy is vital to creating well-rounded students that are prepared for a complex and highly competitive world. During what free time two young daughters will allow, Dave enjoys video games, Dungeons & Dragons, cooking, gardening, and taking naps.