MarketPR

New Poll: The Number of Americans Who Can Afford Quality Health Care Has Fallen

6/21/2026

A new poll finds the share of Americans who can afford high-quality health care has declined, adding survey data to a pattern already visible in the gap between what employer-sponsored health plans promise and what patients absorb when something goes wrong.

High-deductible plans — offered widely through employers as a way to hold down monthly premiums — look like sound financial planning at open enrollment; the exposure shows up later, in billing statements.

When the Deductible Stops Being Abstract Twannetta Weaver chose a high-deductible health insurance plan through her employer because the math made sense: lower premiums left room to save for retirement.

The arrangement was the responsible choice, until 2025, when she slipped a disk in her back. The injury called for medication and physical therapy — not catastrophic care, but sustained, recurring treatment.

Keep reading

Read the full story

Open on MarketPR