A third of Americans have cut health care spending or borrowed money
Americans are feeling the pressure of rising health care costs and are already forgoing it. A third of Americans — an estimated 82 million people — say they are making sacrifices, including skipping meals or driving less, to pay for care, according to a new survey released Thursday.
In the survey, 15 percent of respondents said they had borrowed money to pay for medical expenses in the last year, while another 11 percent said they had skipped a meal. Those without insurance reported even more compromises.
The survey was conducted from June to August 2025 by the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America, a partnership between Gallup and West Health, a group of nonprofit organizations focused on healthcare costs.
“It influences people’s decisions every day,” said Tim Lash, president of the West Health Policy Center. “It’s getting worse.”
In the survey, people also said that in the last four years they had delayed major life changes, such as having a child or retiring, because of health care costs. About 29 percent said they had postponed a vacation, while 26 percent said they had postponed surgery or other medical treatment.
A survey by the same groups in late 2024 found that more Americans believed they couldn’t afford care if they needed it. At that time, the proportion of adults who said they had recently been unable to pay for a medication and treatment was about 11 percent, the highest level in four years.
“There’s a consistent story being told here,” said Ellyn Maese, senior researcher at Gallup and director of research at the West Health-Gallup Center.
The broader issue of affordability is already at the forefront of the midterm elections, with health care costs making up a big part of it. The bitter debate in Congress over the fate of expanded Obamacare subsidies helped focus attention on rising costs. When those subsidies ended last year, millions of Americans saw their insurance premiums more than double, and Democrats seized on the issue.
But it’s not just Obamacare; People who are insured through an employer must also expect significantly higher rates. Health insurance premiums for a family total nearly $27,000 a year, and people pay more out of pocket when they see a doctor or stay overnight in the hospital.
A recent survey by health policy organization KFF found that health care costs topped the public’s list of economic fears, ahead of worries about food and grocery prices, gas and utilities. And the issue proved consequential in the 2018 midterm elections, when Democrats made big gains in Congress after Republicans tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
In the West Health-Gallup survey, some people said major life events are being delayed because of health care costs. About 14 percent said they had put off buying a new home, while 18 percent said they had put off changing jobs. About 6 percent said they had delayed having a child or adopting a child, and 9 percent said they had postponed retirement.
Even those with family incomes of more than $240,000 a year postponed important events, according to the survey. People who reported being in poor health were more likely to make sacrifices.
“Nobody is safe from these compromises,” Ms. Maese said. She added that it amazed her to see people saying they were making such important decisions about their work, home and lifestyle because they had to pay for medical costs.
“To see some of these things compromised was shocking,” she said.
