Survey: 1 in 3 Americans cut back on essentials to pay for health care

Roughly one-third of Americans cut back on food, utilities or other daily expenses to pay for healthcare last year, new national data shows (Source: “One-third of Americans cut back on other expenses to cover healthcare in 2025, survey shows,” Reuters, March 12).
 
A West Health-Gallup Center survey of nearly 20,000 U.S. adults in all 50 states and in the District of Columbia, conducted from June to August 2025, found that 33% of respondents had made at least one trade-off in daily expenses to pay for healthcare.
 
This was far more common among Americans ⁠who do not have health insurance, with 62% of those surveyed saying they have made at least one sacrifice to pay for healthcare, including 32% who had to borrow money and 24% who had prolonged their current medication.
 
HPIO’s healthcare access and affordability series includes data and analysis about the current challenges facing working Ohioans and examines how recent policy changes, such as the federal reconciliation bill (HR 1) and the state budget bill (HB 96), will impact access to care and affordability in Ohio.