The inability to pay for healthcare has reached its highest point in the United States, according to a survey by the West Health Institute. The West Health Gallup Healthcare Indices Survey was conducted by web and mail from Nov. 18 to Dec. 27, 2024, with 6,296 adults living in all 50 US states and the District of Columbia participating. More than one-third of Americans (35%), or an estimated 91 million people, reported they could not access quality healthcare if they needed it today, the highest number recorded since tracking began in 2021. Rates were higher among Black and Hispanic Americans, with 46% and 52%, respectively, reporting that they would be unable to afford quality healthcare. About two-thirds (64%) of people earning less than $24,000 and 57% of households with annual incomes between $24,000 and $48,000 reported difficulties with affordability, an 11- and 12-point increase, respectively, from 2023. Just more than half of Americans (51%) are considered cost-secure, the lowest level since 2021.
