One-third of US adults made financial sacrifices to afford healthcare in 2025 survey reveals
Here's what it means for you.
Healthcare affordability isn't just a U.S. story—rising costs and financial trade-offs are reshaping how professionals everywhere plan, spend, and insure their lives.
What happened
Roughly 82 million U.S. adults—one in three—cut essential expenses, borrowed money, or rationed medications in 2025 to pay for health care, according to a West Health-Gallup survey.
The Context
- Cross-income impact: The squeeze hit low-, middle-, and high-income households, insured and uninsured alike, signaling a system-wide affordability crunch.
- Trendline up: U.S. health care costs have outpaced inflation post-pandemic, with 47% of adults worried about affording care as subsidies and Medicaid rules shift in 2026.
- Global contrast: In Dubai, mandatory insurance covers most costs, but premiums for single adults are set to rise by Dh250–600 in 2026—no similar crisis, but warning signs are flashing.
The Number
—the number of U.S. adults who made financial sacrifices for health care last year. For any professional, that's a signal to audit your own coverage and risk exposure.
Takeaway
With costs climbing and policy changes looming, expect more professionals to rethink health insurance, emergency funds, and cross-border care options in the year ahead.
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"The New York Times is a globally recognized newspaper offering authoritative reporting with a center-left editorial stance."
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