[Mr. K]

and the $5000 deductible is PER YEAR

so you spend $12000 per year for insurance and it does not cover anything until you reach $5K

This is catastrophic insurance only, in effect, while the freeloaders get every visit free

You might as well put the $12K per year (or $17K) in the bank in case of emergency and hope for the best- in effect self-insure

[anoldafvet]

The problem gets worse because most medical care is priced as if a third party is paying most of the freight. If you don’t have a third party (insurance) you get stuck with the whole cost.

[lepton]

and the $5000 deductible is PER YEAR

Up to $12k for a family, that I am aware of. Two friends of mine had cancer scares this year, and it wrecked both’s finances meeting the deductibles...but hey, the one got cervical screening free.