Healthcare affordability among U.S. adults fell to its lowest level since 2021, according to a June 18 article from Gallup.
The findings are based on surveys of 5,660 U.S. adults conducted by the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare between Oct. 27 and Dec. 22.
Six things to know:
1. About half of U.S. adults (49%) were classified as “cost secure,” a designation for people who reported being able to afford needed care, prescription medications and access to quality healthcare.
2. Another 41% were categorized as “cost insecure,” indicating financial barriers to care or medications, or limited access to quality healthcare. Ten percent were classified as “cost desperate,” meaning they reported multiple affordability and access challenges.
3. The share of Americans classified as “cost secure” has fallen 7 percentage points since 2021, when the measure stood at 56%. An estimated 2.8 million Americans fell out of the category between 2024 and 2025.
The measure reached a high of 61% in 2022 before declining to 55% in 2023 and 51% in 2024.
4. U.S. adults ages 18 to 29 experienced the steepest decline in healthcare affordability since 2021. The share classified as “cost secure” fell from 46% to 32% in 2025, the lowest level among all age groups.
5. Women were less likely to be cost secure than men in 2025, at 42% compared with 57%. The gap widened from 2024, when 48% of women and 55% of men were classified as cost secure.
6. Financial concerns about future healthcare costs continued to increase. In 2025, 42% of respondents said they were concerned about affording prescription drugs and 51% expressed concern about paying for healthcare services, up from 36% and 44%, respectively, in 2024.
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.