Gallup Poll Shows Widespread Concern Over U.S. Health Care System Costs

A Quarter of America Says Health Care Is in Crisis. Insurers Should Pay Attention.

A new Gallup poll lands with a thud for anyone paying attention to the health care conversation. About one in four Americans now describe the U.S. health care system as being in crisis. That is not a fringe opinion. It is a mainstream signal that confidence is under strain, and cost sits at the center of the worry.

Nearly three in ten respondents point to affordability as the single most pressing challenge facing national health care. That concern cuts across political lines and household types, suggesting this is less about ideology and more about lived experience at the pharmacy counter, the hospital billing office, and the renewal notice.

“The cost of care feels unpredictable and overwhelming, even for people who believe they have good coverage.”
Gallup survey respondent

Bipartisan Agreement on a Broken System

One of the more striking findings is how little partisan disagreement exists on the big picture. Large majorities of Democrats and Republicans agree that the system has major problems. When more than six in ten Republicans and eight in ten Democrats share that view, it points to a rare area of alignment in an otherwise polarized environment.

For insurers, this matters. Public frustration is not limited to a single segment of the market. It spans employer sponsored plans, individual coverage, Medicare, and Medicaid. When dissatisfaction is broad, expectations for reform, innovation, and accountability tend to rise across the board.

“When voters from both parties say the system is not working, it usually means pressure for change is building.”
Health policy analyst

Cost Pressure Is the Common Thread

Affordability consistently rises to the top of health care concerns, and this survey is no exception. Premiums, deductibles, and out of pocket costs all shape how consumers judge their coverage. Even when access is technically available, the perception of value erodes quickly if costs feel opaque or excessive.

The data below offers a snapshot of how respondents frame the challenge.

What This Signals for the Insurance Industry

The takeaway is not simply that people are unhappy. It is that expectations are shifting. Consumers are more informed, more vocal, and more willing to question how coverage works. That creates both risk and opportunity for insurers willing to engage.

Key implications insurers should be thinking about include:

• How to communicate value clearly in a high cost environment

• Where plan design can better balance affordability and access

• How transparency and simplicity can rebuild trust

A Moment for Leadership

Public concern does not automatically translate into immediate policy change, but it does set the tone. Insurers that listen closely to these signals can position themselves as part of the solution rather than a symbol of the problem.

Addressing cost pressures, improving clarity, and acknowledging frustration openly can go a long way. When a quarter of the country says the system is in crisis, silence is not a strategy. Conversation, backed by action, is.