U.S. Adults' Ability to Afford Healthcare at a Five-Year Low
A Gallup poll shows U.S. adults' ability to afford healthcare has hit a five-year low, with 31% reporting they or a family member delayed or forwent medical treatment in the past year due to cost.
Background
- Gallup is a long-established U.S. polling firm that regularly surveys public opinion on social and economic issues. Its "affordability" data comes from asking Americans whether they (or a family member) have put off medical treatment in the past year due to cost, or whether they have had trouble affording healthcare.<br>- The U.S. healthcare system is a mix of private insurance (typically job-based), government programs (Medicare for seniors, Medicaid for low-income people), and a smaller uninsured population. It is notably more expensive per person than other wealthy nations' systems.<br>- A "five-year low" means the current reading is the worst in surveys going back to 2020, reflecting rising medical inflation, high prescription-drug costs, and insurance deductibles that outpace wage growth.<br>- This matters because healthcare affordability is a top-tier political and economic issue in the U.S., frequently cited in debates over insurance regulation, drug pricing, and proposals like "Medicare for All."