Gallup poll: A record number of U.S. adults are anxious about health costs going into 2026

Americans are going into 2026 more anxious about health care costs than at any other point in recent years, a new West Health-Gallup survey finds.

Americans are going into 2026 more anxious about health care costs than at any other point in recent years, a new West Health-Gallup survey finds.

Almost half of adults, 47%, say they’re worried they won’t be able to afford health care next year — the highest level since West Health and Gallup began tracking in 2021, the survey published Tuesday found.

Concerns about prescription drug costs have climbed steadily, the survey found — rising from 30% in 2021 to 37% in 2025, also the highest level recorded. And the share of adults who say health care costs cause “a lot of stress” in their daily lives has nearly doubled since 2022, rising from 8% to 15%. The survey also found that about 1 in 3 adults reported delaying or skipping medical care over the last year because they couldn’t afford it.

The annual survey, conducted in June through August, was based on roughly 20,000 respondents across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and asked 27 questions about people’s health care experiences.

Health care has become a central issue in politics. Senate Democrats’ push to extend enhanced subsidies for the Affordable Care Act led to the longest government shutdown in history. The ACA tax credits, which have protected people from double-digit premium increases, are set to expire Dec. 31. Republicans blocked the effort, and the Trump administration has vowed to “fix Obamacare” but has yet to release a detailed plan.