Home Health Costs Topics

Health Costs

Affordability and Spending

Public Views on Prescription Drug Costs: Regulation, Affordability and TrumpRx

Amid the Trump administration’s focus on lowering prescription drug costs, including its new TrumpRx website, KFF’s Health Tracking Poll finds that most Americans (59%) are worried about affording prescription drugs and support more regulation of prescription drug pricing (72%). Looking ahead to the 2026 midterm elections, the Democratic party currently holds the advantage when it comes to who voters trust to address the cost of health care, including prescription drugs.

Affordable care act

Poll: Health Care Costs, Expiring ACA Tax Credits, and the 2026 Midterms

Heading into this midterm election year, the cost of health care tops the public’s economic anxieties, and more than 4 in 10 voters say the issue will have a major impact on their vote, a new KFF Health Tracking poll finds. Two thirds of public say Congress "did the wrong thing" by not extending ACA enhanced tax credits, but Republicans largely say Congress “did the right thing.”

Health System Tracker

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.

 

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 Do Health Expenditures Vary Across the Population? Five percent of the population made up nearly half of all health spendings, pending an average of $72,918 annually in 2023.

NHE explorer

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

Latest News

More KFF Health News

View the Latest: Health Costs

Filter

List Grid

731 - 740 of 1,560 Results

  • JAMA Forum: Surprise, Surprise

    Perspective

    Larry Levitt's February 2016 post explains how "surprise medical bills" -- unanticipated charges for out-of-network care - can happen. It describes some government approaches to the issue and outlines the challenges to protecting consumers. The post is now available at The JAMA Forum.

  • What Are Recent Trends in Cancer Spending and Outcomes?

    Feature

    This slideshow compares death rates, years of life lost and disease burden from cancers in the United States to those from other diseases and in other countries. The slideshow also looks at spending on cancers in relation to spending on other diseases and to overall health expenditures.

  • Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: January 2016

    Feature

    Despite the ongoing debate between Republican lawmakers and President Obama on the future of the 2010 health care law, the January Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is only one of many issues that may impact voting decisions. While there has been recent focus on improving the value of health care, those with insurance under 65 years old largely say the health care services they receive are at least a good value for what they pay for them. Also, in the final days of the 2016 open enrollment period, many uninsured are largely disengaged from the health care system and opportunities for coverage, with large majorities being unaware of the date for the upcoming deadline to enroll or of the fine for not having health insurance in 2016.

  • Data Note: Abbreviated January 2016 Health Tracking Poll Topline

    Feature

    This is an abbreviated topline for the upcoming January 2016 Kaiser Health Tracking Poll.  It contains the survey questions addressed in Drew Altman's column, "Candidate Policy Plans Resonate More With Democrats. Here’s Why," for The Wall Street Journal's Think Tank.

  • How Health-Care Bills Hinder Millions of Americans

    From Drew Altman

    In this column for The Wall Street Journal’s Think Tank, Drew Altman examines the problems many Americans with health insurance are having paying medical bills based on a new Kaiser-New York Times Survey, and discusses why the issue of the adequacy of insurance coverage is gaining traction.

  • How Health-Care Bills Hinder Millions of Americans

    News Release

    In his latest column for The Wall Street Journal’s Think Tank, Drew Altman examines the problems many Americans with health insurance are having paying medical bills based on a new Kaiser-New York Times Survey, and discusses why the issue of the adequacy of insurance coverage is gaining traction. All previous columns by Drew Altman are online.