Skyrocketing Healthcare Costs Leave Americans in a State of Panic
The end of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies is set to leave millions of Americans facing astronomical healthcare costs, with some families struggling to afford even basic medical care. For those who currently rely on the subsidies, such as freelance journalist Andy Lilienthal and his wife, the prospect of losing financial assistance has sent shockwaves of anxiety through their lives.
Lilienthal, who pays $660 a month for health insurance through the ACA marketplace, is now bracing himself for a monthly premium increase of nearly $1,700 in 2026. This would leave him with more than his mortgage payments each month and raise concerns about how he will afford to pay for medical expenses.
The anxiety caused by rising healthcare costs has become widespread. A recent West Health-Gallup survey found that Americans are now more anxious about healthcare costs than ever before, with nearly 50% of respondents worried they won't be able to afford care in the coming year. The study also revealed that one in five adults reported being unable to afford prescriptions in the past three months.
For small business owners like Alaina Shearer and Deborah Kevin, the prospect of losing their health insurance is a daunting one. Shearer's family plan will increase from $1,295 to $1,695 per month, while Kevin's premium will jump from $365 to nearly $1,600 in 2026. The fear of having to choose between paying for medical care and other essential expenses weighs heavily on their minds.
"It's hard not to think of myself as failing my family and kids," Shearer said, highlighting the personal toll that rising healthcare costs are taking on families. "We've never gone without health insurance... it's just terrifying to think about what would happen."
The United States is one of the few high-income countries without universal healthcare, despite spending more per person on healthcare than lower-income nations. According to Munira Z. Gunja, a senior researcher at the Commonwealth Fund, the high cost of healthcare services in the US is driven by factors such as hospital prices and the interests of insurance companies.
"This increase makes us question what kind of care we'll actually be able to afford," Kevin said, highlighting the uncertainty that families face when trying to navigate the complex and expensive US healthcare system.
The end of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies is set to leave millions of Americans facing astronomical healthcare costs, with some families struggling to afford even basic medical care. For those who currently rely on the subsidies, such as freelance journalist Andy Lilienthal and his wife, the prospect of losing financial assistance has sent shockwaves of anxiety through their lives.
Lilienthal, who pays $660 a month for health insurance through the ACA marketplace, is now bracing himself for a monthly premium increase of nearly $1,700 in 2026. This would leave him with more than his mortgage payments each month and raise concerns about how he will afford to pay for medical expenses.
The anxiety caused by rising healthcare costs has become widespread. A recent West Health-Gallup survey found that Americans are now more anxious about healthcare costs than ever before, with nearly 50% of respondents worried they won't be able to afford care in the coming year. The study also revealed that one in five adults reported being unable to afford prescriptions in the past three months.
For small business owners like Alaina Shearer and Deborah Kevin, the prospect of losing their health insurance is a daunting one. Shearer's family plan will increase from $1,295 to $1,695 per month, while Kevin's premium will jump from $365 to nearly $1,600 in 2026. The fear of having to choose between paying for medical care and other essential expenses weighs heavily on their minds.
"It's hard not to think of myself as failing my family and kids," Shearer said, highlighting the personal toll that rising healthcare costs are taking on families. "We've never gone without health insurance... it's just terrifying to think about what would happen."
The United States is one of the few high-income countries without universal healthcare, despite spending more per person on healthcare than lower-income nations. According to Munira Z. Gunja, a senior researcher at the Commonwealth Fund, the high cost of healthcare services in the US is driven by factors such as hospital prices and the interests of insurance companies.
"This increase makes us question what kind of care we'll actually be able to afford," Kevin said, highlighting the uncertainty that families face when trying to navigate the complex and expensive US healthcare system.
. How can a family plan go from $1,295 to $1,695? That's like adding another car payment or taking out a second mortgage. It's not just about the cost, it's about how it'll affect people's mental health. The anxiety levels are already sky-high, now we're talking about losing financial stability? This is a ticking time bomb 
. We need some kind of solution ASAP, like a universal healthcare system or something. But at this point, I'm just not seeing how the US can keep going without it 
. What's the latest research on this topic? Where's the data?
I'm no doctor, but it seems like America's healthcare costs are about to get a serious 'shot in the arm'... of anxiety 
! Who needs Netflix when you can't afford to pay for your own medical treatment? 
For real though, $1,700/month is just crazy. It's like they're trying to give us all a crash course on how to live with chronic stress 
. Can someone please explain to me why we need that many extra layers of healthcare 'insurance'?! 
. I feel so bad for them having to choose between paying bills or medical care, it's just heartbreaking 
. We need to do something about the rising costs of healthcare, maybe some kind of government assistance or a public option? It's not fair that people are being penalized for being sick or getting hurt 
. And what's with all these insurance companies making crazy profits while we're struggling to afford care? 
My grandma pays like $50 a month for her prescription medication and she's like "what's the big deal?" 
Can't believe how out of control our healthcare costs are getting 
.
'cause they're already juggling so many things. It's not just about the cost of living; it's about being able to provide for their families and employees 
. I mean, Alaina Shearer said her family plan is going up by $400 a month... that's like, a whole other mortgage payment 
. We need universal healthcare, not just because it's the right thing to do; it's also because our economy and society will be better off for it 
. Like, think about all the stress and anxiety this is causing... what's next?! 
the healthcare costs are literally skyrocketing and i'm low-key freaking out thinking about all these ppl who can't afford basic medical care... like, what's the point of having health insurance if you cant even afford meds? 
1 in 5 adults cant afford prescriptions?! that's insane! we need universal healthcare stat 