For millions of Americans, the end of Affordable Care Act subsidies is a ticking time bomb. The loss of these subsidies will push healthcare costs to unaffordable levels, leaving many without access to necessary medical care. For Andy Lilienthal and his wife, who own a small business and rely on ACA subsidies for their health insurance, the prospect of astronomical monthly premiums is daunting.
Their current premium of $660 a month is set to skyrocket to $1,700 in 2026, effectively pricing them out of the market. The stress and anxiety caused by this uncertainty are having a significant impact on their lives, with Lilienthal describing it as "a real burden" that's affecting everything from his work to his personal relationships.
This fear is not unique to Lilienthal. A new West Health-Gallup study found that Americans are becoming increasingly anxious about healthcare costs in 2026. Over half of adults surveyed reported being worried they wouldn't be able to afford healthcare, while one in five said a household member had skipped medical treatment due to cost.
Small business owners like Alaina Shearer are also feeling the squeeze. Her family's current health insurance plan will increase from $1,295 a month to $1,695 in 2026, with some of her colleagues and friends having already opted out of the market due to rising costs.
The consequences of this trend are stark. Deborah Kevin, a small business owner in Baltimore, is struggling to come to terms with the prospect of absorbing even higher healthcare costs next year. With an annual deductible of $6,100, she's worried about downgrading her coverage or absorbing the cost at the expense of other areas of her budget.
The situation is all too familiar for Kevin and others like her. The United States is the only high-income country without universal healthcare, and its expensive system is leaving many without access to necessary medical care.
Experts point to a range of factors contributing to this crisis, from hospital costs that are sky-high compared to other countries to insurance companies profiting off the consumer while delivering subpar health outcomes. It's a complex issue with no easy solution, but one thing is clear: millions of Americans will be forced to make impossible choices between paying for healthcare and keeping their businesses or families afloat.
Their current premium of $660 a month is set to skyrocket to $1,700 in 2026, effectively pricing them out of the market. The stress and anxiety caused by this uncertainty are having a significant impact on their lives, with Lilienthal describing it as "a real burden" that's affecting everything from his work to his personal relationships.
This fear is not unique to Lilienthal. A new West Health-Gallup study found that Americans are becoming increasingly anxious about healthcare costs in 2026. Over half of adults surveyed reported being worried they wouldn't be able to afford healthcare, while one in five said a household member had skipped medical treatment due to cost.
Small business owners like Alaina Shearer are also feeling the squeeze. Her family's current health insurance plan will increase from $1,295 a month to $1,695 in 2026, with some of her colleagues and friends having already opted out of the market due to rising costs.
The consequences of this trend are stark. Deborah Kevin, a small business owner in Baltimore, is struggling to come to terms with the prospect of absorbing even higher healthcare costs next year. With an annual deductible of $6,100, she's worried about downgrading her coverage or absorbing the cost at the expense of other areas of her budget.
The situation is all too familiar for Kevin and others like her. The United States is the only high-income country without universal healthcare, and its expensive system is leaving many without access to necessary medical care.
Experts point to a range of factors contributing to this crisis, from hospital costs that are sky-high compared to other countries to insurance companies profiting off the consumer while delivering subpar health outcomes. It's a complex issue with no easy solution, but one thing is clear: millions of Americans will be forced to make impossible choices between paying for healthcare and keeping their businesses or families afloat.
This ACA subsidy situation is literally freaking out my family and friends who own small businesses! 
The prospect of those astronomical monthly premiums is just too much. I mean, come on, who can afford that?! 
The stress and anxiety are palpable, and it's not just about the financial burden – it's about people skipping medical treatment because they're worried about affording care. 
We need a solution ASAP! 
Their stress & anxiety are super high 
And it's not just them, lots of others r in the same boat 
I mean, who can't afford $1,700 a month? 
It's crazy that we're the only rich country without universal healthcare 
We gotta do something about this! 
Like, hospital costs are way too high 
It's not rocket science to fix this problem 
But it's hard when there ain't no easy solutions 
The thought of people having to choose between paying for their own healthcare and keeping their families afloat is just heartbreaking 
.
. Like, have you ever tried a community health clinic? They're usually super cheap and offer great care. Or you could try bartering with your doctor for services you can provide in return... it's worth a shot right?
I'm literally talking to people who are having to choose between paying rent/mortgage or paying for health insurance, it's insane 
especially when we're supposed to be the richest country in the world lol... 
... Like, what even happened to all the promises made about making healthcare more affordable? I mean, I get it, there are costs and stuff, but astronomical premiums? That just feels like another example of the system being rigged against regular people. Small business owners are literally being priced out of their own health insurance plans 
This is a ticking time bomb waiting to happen and I'm not sure how many more people can take it before they just give up on the system altogether. 
This is getting out of hand... I mean, how can the US expect people to function without affordable healthcare? It's like they're saying "good luck" to those who can't afford it 
. I need to see some actual data and studies on how many people actually can't afford healthcare before I start feeling sorry for their plight. What's the source on this West Health-Gallup study, btw?
! $1,700 a month is just OUT. OF. CONTROL 
. And experts say it's not just about individual costs, but also the whole system failing 
.
. And insurance companies are profiting off people while delivering subpar health outcomes 
. We need to fix this ASAP 
!
. It's not just about the individual costs, it's about the whole system being broken. Hospitals in the US have some of the highest costs globally, and insurance companies are making a killing off people who need help. The anxiety and stress caused by this uncertainty is unbearable 
. Small business owners like Alaina Shearer are getting squeezed so hard that they're basically being forced out of the market 
. We need some serious reform, pronto! 
.
And what really gets me is that we're basically the only developed country without universal healthcare 
. This can't keep going on...