Rising healthcare costs have become the biggest financial worry for Americans, overtaking concerns about groceries, housing, fuel, and utility bills.
The anxiety has grown sharply after January 1, when enhanced subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) expired, leading to a steep rise in health insurance premiums for millions of people.
New data shows that nearly two-thirds of Americans are now more worried about healthcare expenses than any other regular household cost.
Many families say their medical bills have already gone up this year, putting additional pressure on budgets that are already strained by inflation and high living costs.
The end of enhanced ACA tax credits has played a major role in this shift. These subsidies had helped keep insurance premiums affordable for low- and middle-income Americans.
With the support gone, many people are either paying significantly higher monthly premiums or struggling to keep their coverage at all.
Experts warn that the situation could worsen next year. Projections suggest that around 7.3 million Americans could lose their ACA health coverage in 2026 due to the expiration of these enhanced subsidies.
This could push more families into being uninsured or force them to delay medical care because of cost concerns.
Healthcare advocates say rising premiums and medical bills are not just a financial issue but a public health risk.
When people avoid doctor visits, tests, or medicines due to cost, health problems often become more serious and expensive in the long run.
As healthcare costs continue to climb, Americans are increasingly calling for policy action to make insurance and medical care more affordable.
Until then, for many households, healthcare remains the single biggest expense keeping them up at night.