Abstract

Healthcare is one of the most prominent issues facing Americans due to issues of affordability, access, and potential for debt.1 A July 2025 poll from Kaiser Family Foundation indicates that approximately half of U.S. adults say it is difficult to afford healthcare costs and about one third of adults say they have postponed care in the last year because of the cost.2 According to a 2024 New Hampshire specific survey, 69% of adults have delayed or gone without healthcare due to cost, 71% of adults have experienced a healthcare affordability issue in the past year, and more than 80% worry about affording healthcare in the future.3

These healthcare affordability concerns are not limited to those who are uninsured. Six in ten insured adults worry about affording out-of-pocket costs not covered by insurance, such as co-pays and deductibles.4 Unexpected healthcare costs are a primary contributor to medical debt.

Department

College of Health and Human Services Institute for Health Policy and Practice

Publication Date

Winter 1-2026

Grant/Award Number and Agency

Endowment for Health

Document Type

Article

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