Americans have multiple concerns about healthcare, including increasing costs, according to new AP-NORC poll results. Looking to 2026, nearly 60% are extremely or very concerned about their healthcare costs increasing.
When it comes to health care and medications they need, 42% of Americans are extremely or very concerned that they won’t be able to afford them and 24% are at least somewhat concerned that they won’t be able to afford them. Similar percentages (40% extremely or very concerned and 24% somewhat concerned) are concerned that they won’t be able to access health care when they need it. There are also considerable percentages (38% extremely or very concerned and 23% somewhat concerned) about losing or not having health insurance.
“While this concern is widespread regardless of health insurance status or its source, women tend to express more concern regarding health care than men,” said AP-NORC.
According to the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, U.S. healthcare spending had reached $4.9 trillion as of 2023, an average of $14,570 per person. Although the U.S. has some of the highest healthcare spending in the world, Audacy has previously reported that research shows the nation’s health outcomes are below other countries, including Canada, New Zealand and the U.K., that provide universal healthcare.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services data indicates that national health expenditures were predicted to grow by 5.8% through 2033, outpacing Gross Domestic Product. This year, the Peterson Center on Healthcare and the Kaiser Family Foundation said that U.S. health care spending is expected to reach $8.6 trillion by 2033.
It noted that the figure did not account for “changes in the tax and budget law (formerly “the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act”), which the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) expects to decrease spending on Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplaces by over a trillion dollars through 2034.”
AP-NORC’s new poll results found that “much of the public is unhappy” with the way President Donald Trump has managed health care so far. Just 31% approved of his performance on this issue. Most people surveyed (six in 10) also said they believe the government should be responsible for making sure all Americans have healthcare coverage.
Again, women are more likely than men to sat that health coverage should be more of a federal responsibility than the public’s responsibility. Democrats and independents are more likely to agree with that view than Republicans, along with people who receive Medicaid benefits. In general, those who participated in the AP-NORC poll tended to have more trust in the Democratic Party when it came to health care at 38% compared to 25% who trust Republicans, though the public’s view on the parities’ ability to handle the economy is reversed at 36% for Republicans vs 25% for Democrats.
Healthcare – specifically healthcare subsidies – is a key issue that Republicans and Democrats can’t seem to agree over, fueling the current government shutdown.
“Many have not tuned into the specifics of the dispute, though,” said AP-NORC. “Forty-two percent of adults do not have an opinion about extending tax credits to those who purchase health care through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. However, more favor extending the health care subsidies than oppose them (43% vs 12%).”