The first time I had real insurance, I also had 4 kids. For a few years, we mostly broke even. Counting ONLY what I paid into insurance, and the amount they paid out on ALL the health needs of my family of 5, the amount was nearly even.
I haven't actually looked at that figure for several years...but now that my insurance covers only 1 child and myself, despite the fact that it costs me only $75 a month, it has paid out only $50 in the last 6 or 7 months. While the money my employer pays for me is counted as a benefit to me, in truth, most of that money goes to fund someone else's health needs.
If I had to pay for my own insurance, even nearing 50 years of age, I probably wouldn't buy it. At most, I'd buy a "catastrophic" policy that would kick in after a $1000 or more deductible. I have never been a huge fan of either insurance OR government healthcare.