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Key Takeaways
- The average American aged 45 to 54 spent $6,748 on health insurance.
- This average masks huge variation: the top 10% of working families spend more than $14,800 annually, often due to chronic conditions or high-deductible plans that require thousands before coverage kicks in.
- When you add insurance premiums, deductibles, co-pays, and prescriptions, typical spending jumps to $3,000-$6,000 annually.
Americans ages 45-54 spent an average of $6,748 on health care in 2024—up from $6,338 the year before, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey.
That covers insurance premiums, doctor visits, prescriptions, and medical supplies. But the average hides a wide range. Half of working families spend less than $4,000 annually, while the top 10% pay $14,800 or more. Where you land depends on your coverage, your health, and increasingly, whether you’re buying insurance on your own or through an employer.
Breaking Down Where the Money Goes
For many people with employer coverage, the biggest line item is the premium. A Kaiser Family Foundation’s 2025 survey found that the average worker contributed $1,440 annually toward single coverage and a hefty $6,850 for family coverage. And that’s before you touch a deductible or fill a prescription.
Then there are the out-of-pocket expenses, aside from premiums. The 2025 Milliman Medical Index estimates that people with typical employer-sponsored plans spend an average of $1,211 out of pocket per year. That includes co-pays, coinsurance, and expenses before you meet your deductible.
If you don’t have employer coverage and buy insurance on your own, costs can be even steeper. A benchmark Silver plan through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace for a 45-year-old runs around $850 annually with subsidies.
But that’s for someone with a lower income. Without subsidies, premiums for middle-income earners easily top $10,000 per year. And with enhanced ACA subsidies expired, millions of Americans have seen their premiums more than double this year.
What Typical Families Actually Pay
A 2024 analysis by the Center for Economic and Policy Research found that the typical U.S. working family—which includes many adults in the 45-54 range—spends nearly $4,000 per year on health care when you combine premiums and out-of-pocket costs. That’s the median, meaning half of families spend more.
About 12% of working families are considered “cost-burdened,” which means they are spending more than 10% of their income on health care. The families in the top 10% of health care spending pay $14,800 or more annually. These expenses typically reflect treatments for chronic conditions, surprise medical bills, or high-deductible plans that require thousands in spending before coverage kicks in.
Why Costs Keep Climbing in Your 40s and 50s
You use more health care as you get older. Almost 60% of people ages 45-64 have at least one chronic condition like high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease, all of which require ongoing management and medication.
Insurance companies account for this, which is why premiums rise with age. Under ACA rules, a 50-year-old can be charged about 24% more than a 45-year-old for the same coverage. By age 54, premiums can be almost 50% higher than what a 40-year-old pays.
Bottom Line
If you’re 45-54, expect to spend somewhere between $3,000 and $6,000+ per year on health care—and potentially much more if you have significant medical needs or buy insurance without your employer. The exact amount depends on your insurance type, health status, and where you live.
