Health Care Cost Crisis Erupts — Families Struggle

A business professional holding a warning sign next to a model of a hospital — HEALTH CARE CRISIS

Congressional failure to renew Affordable Care Act subsidies has catapulted health care costs past groceries and housing to become Americans’ number one financial worry, exposing how government mismanagement directly hits family budgets.

Story Snapshot

Two-thirds of Americans now worry about affording health care, with 32% “very worried”—surpassing concerns about food, utilities, or housing for the first time
Congress let enhanced ACA subsidies expire on December 31, 2025, triggering immediate premium spikes that hit working families hardest
Over half of adults report increased health care costs in the past year, with 40% spending over $1,000 out-of-pocket, and many delaying needed care
The Trump administration now faces pressure to deliver on cost-lowering promises, as 76% of Americans say their incomes cannot keep pace with inflation

Failed Policy Triggers Premium Crisis

Congress allowed enhanced ACA premium tax credits to expire, despite 66% public disapproval of the move. These subsidies, originally extended during COVID-19 from 2021 through 2025, had temporarily lowered marketplace premiums and boosted enrollment. The expiration reversed those gains overnight, causing 2026 premium hikes that now strain household budgets across income levels.

A Kaiser Family Foundation poll conducted January 13-20, 2026, surveyed over 1,400 adults and found that health care affordability eclipsed traditional necessities like food and rent—a historic shift reflecting the direct impact of policy failure on families.

Two-thirds (66%) of Americans worry about paying for healthcare, more than any other household expense. pic.twitter.com/Wf9P5MBpFL

— Jay Rughani (@JayRughani) January 30, 2026

Real Financial Pain Behind the Numbers

The poll reveals 67% of Americans worry about health care costs, with 32% “very worried” compared to just 24% for food expenses. Over half of adults—51%, according to PAN Foundation data—report taking coping actions such as delaying care, leaving prescriptions unfilled, or using credit to cover medical bills. 40% spent more than $1,000 out of pocket in 2025, and 9% spent more than $5,000.

Patients with rare diseases, chronic conditions, or cancer face the steepest burden, with 16% paying over $5,000 annually. These aren’t abstract statistics—they represent Americans choosing between medication and groceries, a consequence of the government failing to control spiraling costs.

Economic Strain Beyond Average Spending

Health care accounts for 6.8% of consumer spending in federal data, yet drives disproportionate concern because costs rise faster than wages. Employer-sponsored insurance now averages $3.75 per hour in compensation costs, squeezing take-home pay while 76% of Americans report incomes lagging behind inflation.

The American Action Forum notes this disconnect between aggregate spending shares and public anxiety. Still, the gap makes sense: rapid premium increases and unpredictable out-of-pocket expenses create fear even among those currently managing bills. Premiums top the list of budget strains for 31% of respondents, while 92% of rare disease patients fear 2026 will worsen access problems.

Trump Administration Inherits Voter Pressure

The Trump administration took office in 2026, promoting a cost-cutting agenda that included credit card interest caps and housing reforms, but now faces health care as the dominant voter priority.

KFF senior analyst Shannon Schumacher confirms costs are “top of mind” due to accelerating increases, while PAN Foundation Chief Mission Officer Amy Niles urges policymakers to “put patients first.”

With 86% of Americans prioritizing affordability and partisan divisions stalling 2025 action on subsidies, the administration faces electoral consequences if relief doesn’t materialize.

Conservative principles favor market-based solutions over government dependence, yet the ACA subsidy expiration demonstrates how abrupt policy shifts harm working families who rely on stable coverage.

CBS News reports that paying for health care has become Americans' top financial worry after Congress failed last year to extend some Affordable Care Act subsidieshttps://t.co/SfeisOO518

— WCBI News (@WCBINews4) January 29, 2026

The poll data reveal deeper systemic problems: 11% delayed needed care, 9% skipped filling prescriptions, and 19% turned to credit cards to pay medical bills in the past year.

Nearly one in four Americans view the health care system as “in crisis” due to costs, a perception Johns Hopkins researchers validate by documenting unaffordability across employer and ACA marketplace plans.

Short-term consequences include missed treatments and mounting debt; long-term implications include coverage drops, wage suppression for workers as employers absorb premium hikes, and overall strain on the system.

Americans aren’t asking for handouts—they want a functional market where hard work affords basic medical care without financial ruin.