Estimating the Net Present Value of Obamacare costs, ages 25-through-65

How much would one have to invest at a guaranteed 3% interest rate to pay for 40 years of Obamacare?

Assumptions:

• Starting age 25  (Current median cost of $478 per month)
• Ending age 65
• Non-smoker
• Single
• "Silver plan"
• 10% premium growth
• Deductible growth varied from zero-to-10% (max deductible of $6900 per year for 2018)

Assuming zero deductible growth and $3000 per year actual deductible (mid range), the Net Present Value of the resulting cash-flow is $1.2 million, US.

Assuming 10% deductible growth and a starting deductible (actual) of $3000 the Net Present Value of the resulting cash-flow is $1.7 million, US.

It gives one pause to think that a three year military hitch might be offering $600,000 a year in benefits IF the military person qualifies for VA benefits afterward and can avoid entanglement in Obamacare.

Of course, healthcare costs cannot grow at 10% per year, three times faster than the general economy, for forty years.

And I did not factor in any costs associated with VA services (like travel) because I am not smart enough to come up with reasonable estimates.