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A Preview of the Role Health Care May Play in the 2026 Election

Ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, this KFF issue brief examines the role health care has played in previous elections and what that may suggest about its potential role in 2026. KFF polls have consistently found that the cost of health care is an important part of voters’ economic concerns.

Affordable care act

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Cost Concerns and Coverage Changes: A Follow-Up Survey of ACA Marketplace Enrollees

This KFF survey is a follow-up survey of adults who had ACA Marketplace insurance in 2025. The survey examines the cost concerns and coverage changes of Marketplace enrollees following the end of the enhanced premium tax credits and finds that half of returning enrollees say their health care costs are “a lot higher” and most expect to cut back on basic household expenses to afford coverage.

Health System Tracker

In 2024, life expectancy in the U.S. reached an all-time high of 79 years but remained years behind the average in comparable countries

How Does U.S. Life Expectancy Compare to Other Countries? The life expectancy gap between the U.S. and peer countries decreased from 4.1 years in 2023 to 3.7 years in 2024 as U.S. mortality dropped.

How Does Cost Affect Access to Health Care? In 2024, about 1 in 6 adults reported delaying or not getting healthcare due to cost, including medical or mental health care.

How Does Health Spending in the U.S. Compare to Other Countries? While the U.S. still spends the most in total dollars, eight OECD nations had a higher percentage increase in per-person health spending in 2024.

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National Health Spending Explorer: Get up-to-date information on U.S. health spending by federal and local governments, private companies, and individuals.

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  • 2025 California Health Benefits Survey

    Report

    The survey provides an in-depth look at trends in employer-sponsored coverage in California, including premiums, cost sharing, offer rates, and employer strategies to manage costs and access to care, including comparisons to the nation overall.

  • Understanding Various Measures to Assess Hospital Finances: A Cheat Sheet

    Fact Sheet

    This one-page fact sheet provides basic information for understanding measures of hospital finances. It describes profits margins and other common measures of hospitals' financial well-being, as well as considerations when evaluating reports of these measures, such as how different approaches can make these measures appear higher or lower.

  • KFF Health Tracking Poll: Public Weighs in on Health Care Debate and Government Shutdown 

    Poll Finding

    This poll finds that public support remains high for extending the enhanced ACA tax credits set to expire at the end of the year. Three quarters of the public favor of extending them, though support among Republicans has dipped since September. Most Democrats want a Congressional budget deal to include an extension of the tax credits.

  • How ACA Marketplace Costs Compare to Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance

    Issue Brief

    This analysis compares ACA Marketplace costs to employer-sponsored health insurance costs and finds that individual market premiums have become more similar to employer-sponsored premiums over time. In 2024, individual market insurance premiums averaged $540 per member per month, slightly below the average $587 per member per month premium for fully-insured employer coverage.

  • Calculator: ACA Enhanced Premium Tax Credit

    Feature

    The ACA's enhanced premium tax credits expired at the end of 2025. This calculator estimates how much out-of-pocket premium payments would increase for families without the enhanced credits. The projected premium increases are estimated based on family income, zip code, size, ages, and 2026 ACA Marketplace premiums.