2025 Healthcare in America Report

Healthcare is becoming increasingly unaffordable for millions of Americans. The 2025 West Health-Gallup Healthcare Affordability Index reveals a troubling new high: 35% of U.S. adults—an estimated 91 million people—say they could not access quality care if they needed it today. The gap is especially wide among Black, Hispanic, and lower-income Americans, with affordability worsening year over year.

This year’s report offers the clearest picture yet of America’s growing healthcare divide. The Index categorizes Americans into three groups: Cost Secure (no recent difficulties affording care or prescriptions), Cost Insecure (unable to afford one or the other), and Cost Desperate (unable to afford both care and prescriptions). In 2025, a record 11% of U.S. adults—about 29 million people—are considered Cost Desperate. Download the full report to explore the data, insights, and implications for policymakers, providers, and advocates.

Read press release: https://westhealth.org/news/inability-to-pay-for-healthcare-reaches-record-high-in-u-s/

Learn more about the Gallup – West Health partnership: www.gallup.com/westhealth