The specter of skyrocketing healthcare costs is casting a pall of anxiety over millions of Americans, including those who are already struggling to make ends meet. For Andy Lilienthal and his wife, who own a small business and rely on Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies to keep their health insurance affordable, the thought of losing this lifeline is a nightmare come true.
The ACA subsidies were supposed to remain in place until 2026, but lawmakers failed to include them in a spending package that reopened the government after a record-breaking shutdown. This means that for millions of Americans, including Lilienthal and his wife, healthcare costs will skyrocket next year, leaving many with little choice but to seek out more expensive coverage or go without.
According to a recent West Health-Gallup survey, anxiety about healthcare costs is at an all-time high among Americans. More than 50% of respondents said they were worried that they wouldn't be able to afford healthcare in the coming year, while nearly half reported skipping medical treatment due to cost concerns. The deductible on some plans has risen so high - $20,000 or more for just one prescription - that even healthy individuals are being priced out of the market.
Small business owners like Alaina Shearer and Deborah Kevin are particularly vulnerable to these rising costs. Shearer's family plan is increasing from $1,295 a month to nearly $2,300 next year, while Kevin's premium will jump from $365 per month to over $1,600 in 2026. Both women are worried about how they'll afford the increased costs, and are exploring ways to reduce their expenses or downgrade their coverage.
The United States is one of the only developed countries without universal healthcare, yet it spends far more on healthcare than its peers. According to Munira Z. Gunja, a senior researcher at the Commonwealth Fund, this is because "the price of services in hospitals can be really high" and insurance companies often prioritize profits over patient outcomes.
The consequences of rising healthcare costs are already being felt by individuals like Kevin, who is 62 years old and owns her own small business. She's struggling to make ends meet, let alone afford the increasing costs of health insurance. "This increase makes us question what kind of care we'll actually be able to afford," she said. "Do we downgrade our coverage and risk higher out-of-pocket expenses if something goes wrong? Do we absorb the cost and slash other areas of our budget?"
As healthcare costs continue to skyrocket, Americans are left feeling stressed, anxious, and uncertain about their ability to access necessary care. The loss of ACA subsidies is just the latest blow to a system that's already struggling to keep up with demand. It's time for policymakers to take action and find a way to make healthcare more affordable for everyone - not just the wealthy few who can afford it today.
The ACA subsidies were supposed to remain in place until 2026, but lawmakers failed to include them in a spending package that reopened the government after a record-breaking shutdown. This means that for millions of Americans, including Lilienthal and his wife, healthcare costs will skyrocket next year, leaving many with little choice but to seek out more expensive coverage or go without.
According to a recent West Health-Gallup survey, anxiety about healthcare costs is at an all-time high among Americans. More than 50% of respondents said they were worried that they wouldn't be able to afford healthcare in the coming year, while nearly half reported skipping medical treatment due to cost concerns. The deductible on some plans has risen so high - $20,000 or more for just one prescription - that even healthy individuals are being priced out of the market.
Small business owners like Alaina Shearer and Deborah Kevin are particularly vulnerable to these rising costs. Shearer's family plan is increasing from $1,295 a month to nearly $2,300 next year, while Kevin's premium will jump from $365 per month to over $1,600 in 2026. Both women are worried about how they'll afford the increased costs, and are exploring ways to reduce their expenses or downgrade their coverage.
The United States is one of the only developed countries without universal healthcare, yet it spends far more on healthcare than its peers. According to Munira Z. Gunja, a senior researcher at the Commonwealth Fund, this is because "the price of services in hospitals can be really high" and insurance companies often prioritize profits over patient outcomes.
The consequences of rising healthcare costs are already being felt by individuals like Kevin, who is 62 years old and owns her own small business. She's struggling to make ends meet, let alone afford the increasing costs of health insurance. "This increase makes us question what kind of care we'll actually be able to afford," she said. "Do we downgrade our coverage and risk higher out-of-pocket expenses if something goes wrong? Do we absorb the cost and slash other areas of our budget?"
As healthcare costs continue to skyrocket, Americans are left feeling stressed, anxious, and uncertain about their ability to access necessary care. The loss of ACA subsidies is just the latest blow to a system that's already struggling to keep up with demand. It's time for policymakers to take action and find a way to make healthcare more affordable for everyone - not just the wealthy few who can afford it today.
. I've got friends who are small business owners too, and they're already struggling to make ends meet. If they have to pay $2,300 a month for health insurance, that's like taking away half their profit 
. And what if they can't afford it? They'll be forced to choose between paying their employees or keeping the lights on in their business. It's a nightmare scenario 
.
. I mean, did you see that woman's deductible? $20,000 for just one prescription?! That's insane 
. And now they're taking away the ACA subsidies? It's like policymakers don't care about people's lives 
.
. We need some real change in this country, like a single-payer system or something 
. Until then, I'm stuck feeling anxious and stressed about the future 
.
... i mean, come on, $20k deductible? are they kidding us? this is like playing a game of financial roulette... someone's gotta get hurt, and unfortunately, it's gonna be those of us who can't afford to take a pay cut or downgrade our coverage 
it's time for some real solutions, not just empty promises from politicians 
. I mean, come on, lawmakers can't even get their act together and pass a spending bill without leaving millions of people hanging? The anxiety over healthcare costs is REAL, fam 
. We need universal healthcare, pronto! 
It's ridiculous that we're one of the only developed countries without it and yet we're blowing our money on healthcare like there's no tomorrow 
. How are we supposed to take care of each other if we can't even afford basic healthcare? 
. He was worried about how he'd pay those bills when cash flow is already tight. Then there are people who have to choose between paying their rent/mortgage and buying medication 
, have you guys been there? I mean, I've heard great things about their burgers, but I'm a bit skeptical if it's really worth the hype 
. Anyway, back to healthcare costs... it's crazy how some of those insurance plans are still super expensive even for people who don't have any major health issues 
I'm getting so sick of all these fads in the US healthcare system. Can't we just have some real universal healthcare or something? 
We should be investing in healthcare, not just corporate interests. 
. We can't keep pricing people out of the market with deductibles of $20,000 or more 
. It's like, what kind of world are we living in? 
. I know it won't be easy, but something has to change 
. We can't keep leaving people behind who are struggling to afford their health insurance 
. It's time for policymakers to step up and take action 
.
How can we expect people to take care of their health when it's so expensive? We need some serious change here... 
We need universal healthcare stat! 
it's wild that other developed countries have figured this out already, while we're still stressing about costs 
, especially for small business owners like Alaina & Deborah 
. They're already struggling to make ends meet, and now they're gonna have to deal with huge price hikes on their health insurance 
. It's not just about them, though - it's about all the Americans who are worried sick about affording healthcare next year 