Healthcare Affordability Crisis: Fewer Americans Can Afford Medical Care
Healthcare Affordability Crisis is becoming a growing concern across the United States, with more than half of Americans now struggling to access necessary medical services without worrying about hospital bills or prescription drug costs.
What was once considered a problem primarily affecting low-income households is increasingly impacting middle- and high-income families as well, raising broader concerns about the sustainability of the U.S. healthcare system.
According to a recent survey released by Gallup, only 49% of Americans were classified as “Cost Secure” in 2025, meaning they had adequate health insurance coverage and could comfortably afford medical visits and prescription medications. This marks the lowest level recorded since Gallup began tracking healthcare affordability in 2021.
The percentage of Americans considered financially secure in healthcare has steadily declined over the past several years. The figure fell from 61% in 2022 to 55% in 2023, then to 51% in 2024, before dropping below the 50% threshold last year. Gallup estimates that approximately 2.8 million additional Americans became unable to afford healthcare costs within a single year.
Healthcare Affordability Crisis Extends Beyond Low-Income Households
The survey found that 41% of respondents reported difficulty affording either medical care or prescription medications. An additional 10% were categorized as “Cost Desperate,” meaning they face both limited access to healthcare services and severe financial barriers to paying for treatment and medications.
Concerns about future healthcare expenses are also growing. More than half of respondents, 51%, said they were worried about their ability to afford healthcare over the next year, while 42% expressed concern about rising prescription drug prices.
Notably, the burden is no longer confined to lower-income Americans. Nearly one-third of households earning between $120,000 and $179,999 annually reported difficulty covering healthcare expenses. Even among households earning $180,000 or more per year, 20% said they face similar financial challenges.
Young Adults Face the Greatest Challenges
Younger Americans appear to be particularly vulnerable. Among adults aged 18 to 29, only about one-third reported being able to access needed medical care without financial concerns.
Meanwhile, most age groups outside the 50-to-65 demographic experienced worsening healthcare affordability over the past two years, highlighting a broad-based deterioration in access to affordable care.
Rising Costs Continue to Drive the Trend
Experts point to rapidly increasing healthcare expenses as a key factor behind the worsening Healthcare Affordability Crisis. Gallup noted that healthcare costs are rising faster than both inflation and wage growth.
Total U.S. healthcare spending reached $5.3 trillion in 2024, representing a 7.2% increase from the previous year. By comparison, overall inflation rose by just 2.9% during the same period. Hospital charges, prescription drug prices, and health insurance premiums have all continued to climb.
Researchers also warn that the situation may be even more severe than the survey suggests. Because the study was conducted between October and December of last year, it did not fully capture the effects of changes to Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium subsidies that ended earlier this year.
ACA enrollment fell by more than one million people in January compared with the previous year. The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) has projected that ACA enrollment could decline by as many as five million people in the coming years, potentially increasing financial pressure on millions of Americans seeking healthcare coverage.
The survey was conducted among 5,660 U.S. adults between October and December through online and mail-based questionnaires.
