Obama's New Math

In this AP story on Obama's proposed national health care plan we find a very curious number, and fail to find one even more so.

In all, Obama said, the typical consumer would save $2,500 a year.

Obama conceded that the overall cost of the program would be high, while not providing a specific number.

Leave aside for a moment all the troubles that can be thought of with respect to the very idea of universal health care. What I want to know here is how -- logically, mathemetically, sensibly -- our favorite senator from Illinois is able to estimate the savings to the "typical consumer" without apparently having any idea what the system itself will cost? Y'know, just asking. Wouldn't want to accidentally elect any Underpants Gnomes as President, would we now.

Also just as an aside, counting only nominal premiums (i.e. ignoring employer cost that would otherwise be a higher salary), medical and dental for myself and my wife costs me less than $2000 per year. And frankly most of the time that seems like a ripoff as neither of us makes much use of it. Is the typical American really spending THAT MUCH on health care? Seriously, what is going on.