Most Americans worry about higher health care costs in 2026, poll finds
FILE-A patient gets a COVID-19 vaccination shot during a doctor's appointment. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The uncertainty surrounding the future of health care costs has most people worried about what they could pay starting next year.
In a new Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, Americans with and without health insurance coverage are expressing concerns over covering their medical needs.
RELATED: Here are the states with the best and worst health care in 2025: Study
The survey of 1,289 adults was held between Oct. 9-13, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel.
Health care and medication affordability are some of the top concerns for Americans
Why you should care:
Sixty percent of Americans say that they are "extremely" or "very" concerned about their health costs going up in the next year.
While 4 in 10 respondents acknowledge being "extremely" or "very" concerned about not being able to pay for health care or medications they need, not being able to access health care when they need it or losing or not having health insurance.
Health care still vital to Americans
Dig deeper:
The poll found that roughly 8 in 10 share that the issue of health care is "extremely" or "very" important to them personally, including 9 in 10 Democrats and three-quarters of Republicans.
Poll shows most Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of health care
Local perspective: According to the poll, only 3 in 10 people approve of President Donald Trump’s oversight of health care. Most Democrats don’t support Trump's approach but so do about 8 in 10 independents and about one-third of Republicans.
Respondents divided on which political party they trust more on health care
The other side:
People were split on trusting Democrats or Republicans when it comes to overseeing the nation’s health care issue. About 4 in 10 Americans say they trust Democrats to do a better job handling health care, compared with about one-quarter who trust the Republicans more. About one-quarter trust neither party, and only 1 in 10 trusts both equally.
The poll also found that people are more likely to trust their own party on health care, but 76% of Democrats trust their party more on health care, while only 57% of Republicans have more trust in theirs.
Independents are likely to trust neither party on health care — roughly half of independents admit this. But the poll shows the remaining independents are more likely to trust Democrats.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by an Associated Press-NORC poll of 1,289 adults held between Oct. 9-13, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.