U.S. Adults' Ability to Afford Healthcare at a Five-Year Low
7 hours ago
- #Cost Secure
- #Health Disparities
- #Healthcare Affordability
- Only 49% of U.S. adults were Cost Secure in 2025, falling below half for the first time since 2021.
- Affordability gaps widened for racial/ethnic groups, with Black (38%) and Hispanic (32%) adults less Cost Secure than White adults (55%).
- Young adults (18-29) saw the sharpest decline in Cost Secure share, dropping from 46% in 2021 to 32% in 2025.
- Older adults (65+) remained most Cost Secure but declined from 73% in 2021 to 61% in 2025.
- Individuals with chronic or mental health conditions were less Cost Secure, e.g., only 34% with COPD and 37% with depression.
- The gender gap in Cost Secure widened to 15 percentage points in 2025, with women at 42% and men higher.
- Concerns about affording healthcare reached new highs: 51% worried about services and 42% about prescription drugs in 2025.
- Healthcare spending grew faster than inflation and wages, with prices rising and insurance premiums increasing post-ACA subsidies.
- Affordability pressures affect all income levels, including middle-income households, risking delayed care and poorer health outcomes.