Healthcare affordability remains a significant challenge, with a third of respondents to a new Gallup poll saying they had to cut back on daily living expenses to afford care.
Gallup, in a joint initiative with policy nonprofit West Health, surveyed about 20,000 adults between June and August 2025. One-third of that poll corresponds to about 82 million Americans, according to the report.
The most commonly cited trade-offs were prolonging a prescription or borrowing money to cover medical costs, both cited by 15% of respondents, according to the report.
In addition, 11% said they skipped a meal or drove less to account for the cost of healthcare, per the poll. Nine percent said they cut back on utilities to afford medical costs.
The need to make these trade-offs was far more common among the uninsured, Gallup found, with 62% saying they made at least one sacrifice to afford their care. However, 29% of those with insurance also said they were forced to make a trade-off to cover their healthcare costs.
Just over half (55%) of people with a household income of $24,000 or less each year report making at least one trade-off with daily expenses for their healthcare costs. Close to half (48%) of those earning between $24,000 and $48,000 in annual household income said the same.
And while it was less common in more affluent households, making financial trade-offs to cover healthcare expenses wasn't unheard of, according to the study. In 11% of households with an annual income of $240,000 or more, respondents reported the need for a financial trade-off to afford healthcare.
People who described themselves as being in poor or fair health were also more likely to report the need for tradeoffs, according to the Gallup poll.
"Americans are facing cost pressures from all sides. Nearly every aspect of daily life has become more expensive—and healthcare is no exception," the researchers wrote. "As living costs continue to rise, the effects of unaffordable healthcare are not only confined to medical expenses and decisions."
In addition to the effect on daily expenses, the poll found that healthcare costs were leading some people to postpone key life milestones.
Twenty-six percent of those surveyed said they put off a key surgery or medical treatment in the last four years, while 15% said they delayed the pursuit of additional education or training.
Eighteen percent said they postponed switching jobs due to healthcare costs, while 14% said they delayed buying a new home. Six percent said they postponed having or adopting a child, according to the survey.
"These findings underscore that healthcare affordability is not just a health issue: It is a significant economic and societal challenge that affects nearly every aspect of life," the researchers said. "If the current trend continues, the situation is likely to worsen unless significant healthcare reforms are enacted."