Info from google ai as fyi. Huge huge difference in how much people actually paid for healthcare out of their pocket in the 1950s vs now. Good and bad.
“1950s
In the 1950s, health insurance was a newer concept, and coverage was less comprehensive:
Overall Coverage: In 1950, insurance covered just 12% of total private consumer health expenditures; this increased to about 33% by 1964.
Surgical Coverage: While surgical benefits were a core part of early plans, along with hospital care, individuals were still responsible for a substantial portion of the bill. In 1955, voluntary insurance benefits covered about 23% of the aggregate personal expenditures for all medical care and health services.
Out-of-Pocket: The majority of healthcare expenses, particularly for physician services outside of surgery and hospitalization, were paid for directly by the patient out-of-pocket. The prevalence of direct payment meant patients were more connected to the actual cost of their care.
Now (2020s)
The modern healthcare landscape is fundamentally different, with insurance covering a much larger share of the total cost:
Overall Coverage: In 2020, out-of-pocket spending represented only about 10% of total health spending, a massive flip from the mid-20th century.
Surgical Coverage: For typical operations, modern employer-sponsored plans might cover 80% to 100% of the negotiated cost after a deductible is met, with patient responsibility limited to deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance.
Out-of-Pocket Maximums: A key difference is the implementation of annual out-of-pocket maximums in most modern plans, which limit a patient’s total financial exposure in a given year, a protection largely absent in earlier, less comprehensive policies