Nearly Half of Working-Age Adults Struggled to Afford Healthcare in 2025

Nearly half of working-age adults in the United States (46%) struggled to afford healthcare for their families in 2025, including more than one-third (35%) who said someone in their family had unmet healthcare needs because of high costs.

The Issue

Healthcare is becoming increasingly unaffordable for U.S. families, as medical costs increase more quickly than incomes. Many people forgo health insurance coverage due to costs, and even those with coverage struggle to pay for care because of high deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments.

Key Findings

• Regardless of insurance type, 46% of working-age adults in the United States struggled to pay for their healthcare in 2025.
• More than one-third (35%) of working-age adults reported that a family member had an unmet healthcare need due to costs.
• Affordability challenges were particularly pronounced for working-age adults with disabilities (69%), individuals in fair or poor health (65%), and people with chronic conditions like cancer, heart disease, COPD, and diabetes.
• The majority of Black (56.8%) and Hispanic (56.2%) adults reported affordability challenges, while 41.6% of White adults reported struggling to afford care.

Conclusion

Researchers say these findings show that healthcare affordability challenges are not limited to uninsured people and are also common among those with insurance. Healthcare is expected to become less affordable for working families in the coming years with the implementation of federally mandated Medicaid and Marketplace policies that are projected to add millions to the ranks of the uninsured.

About the Author/Grantee

The nonprofit Urban Institute is dedicated to elevating the debate on social and economic policy. For nearly five decades, Urban scholars have conducted research and offered evidence-based solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities across a rapidly urbanizing world. Their objective research helps expand opportunities for all, reduce hardship among the most vulnerable, and strengthen the effectiveness of the public sector. Visit the Urban Institute’s Health Policy Division for more information specific to its staff and its recent research.