As the cost of healthcare spirals out of control, over a third of Americans can’t afford basic medical necessities, according to a new poll.
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Recent Gallup findings showcase a staggering decline in healthcare affordability, raising concerns about widespread financial distress.
The Gallup report highlights that approximately 91 million U.S. adults cannot access quality healthcare when they need it most.
This crisis is compounded by the fact that, despite federal healthcare spending reaching $4.9 trillion in 2023, a significant portion of the population, roughly 26 million people, remains uninsured.
Despite 305 million Americans having health insurance, four in ten adults carry debt from unpaid medical bills.
This issue is more pronounced among Hispanic and black communities, where 52% and 46% respectively, report an inability to pay medical expenses.
Economic inequality further plays a role in healthcare access, with 64% of people earning less than $24,000 annually struggling significantly.
Similar hardships are faced by 57% of individuals earning between $24,000 and $48,000.
On the other hand, Americans earning over $48,000 have stable access to affordable care.
Only 51% of Americans are now considered cost secure, the lowest since 2021.
The gap since 2021 has dramatically widened, exacerbated by factors like consumer and medical inflation, drug shortages, and declining Medicaid and CHIP enrollment.
Tim Lash from the West Health Policy Center emphasizes, “The rising trajectory in the inability to pay for healthcare is a disturbing trend that is likely to continue and even accelerate.”
This signifies the pressing need for comprehensive policy reform that focuses on affordability.
Unfortunately, pharmaceutical companies justify increased drug prices, attributing them to the need for investment in drug discovery despite the overwhelming financial burden this places on patients.
Gallup researcher Dan Witters expressed concern: “Healthcare affordability and access continue to erode nationally, and this issue is especially acute among black, Hispanic, and lower-income adults.”
The Healthcare Affordability Index provides a snapshot of Americans’ financial health when it comes to healthcare costs, classifying individuals as Cost Secure, Cost Insecure, or Cost Desperate.
Notably, the percentage of Americans categorized as Cost Desperate has reached a new high of 11%—about 29 million individuals.
Disparities in access based on race, ethnicity, and income have reached an unprecedented high since the survey’s commencement.
These disparities reveal a deeper systemic issue that must urgently be addressed.
A whopping 12% of adults had to borrow money to pay for healthcare in 2024, racking up an estimated $74 billion in debt.
Inevitably, this financial strain fuels anxiety, with nearly 60% of Americans dreading the possibility of going into debt due to a major medical event.
The looming shadow of medical bills further illustrates why healthcare reform is crucial in mitigating this modern American crisis.
Tim Lash’s call to action requires immediate attention from lawmakers.
His emphasis on bringing policy changes that render healthcare services affordable is a clarion call that should not fall on deaf ears.
As these disparities intensify, the voice of a nation seeking equitable healthcare access grows louder, demanding reform until these concerns are no longer “the new normal” but a crisis sufficiently addressed.
More Americans are struggling to afford healthcare—11% say they couldn’t pay for medication or treatment in the past three months, the highest rate in four years. That’s 91 MILLION adults at risk of skipping care due to cost.
With rising premiums, Medicaid rollbacks, and… pic.twitter.com/Gu1DvSJl0q
— National Consumers League (@ncl_tweets) April 2, 2025
