Tracking Healthcare Affordability and Value

The percentage of Americans who can afford and access prescription drugs and quality healthcare stands at a new low of 55%, a six-point decline since 2022, according to the West Health-Gallup Healthcare Affordability Index. The index was developed in 2021 to track the percentage of Americans who say they have avoided medical care or not filled prescription medications in the last three months and whether they believe they could afford care if they needed it today.

The downturn is largely attributed to two groups — adults aged 50 to 64 (down eight points to 55%) and those aged 65 and older (down eight points to 71%), a troubling sign since Medicare eligibility for most Americans begins at 65. The percentage of adults under 50 who could readily afford healthcare was the lowest of any age group at 47%, a five-point decline since 2022.