Summary
Rising health care costs can affect far more than a household’s medical
budget, influencing everyday spending, savings decisions, and access to
needed care. This Fast Fact examines how privately
insured adults are responding to increased health care expenses and
explores the broader financial pressures surrounding affordability,
household security, and care-seeking decisions.
- The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI)/Greenwald Research Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey found that most enrollees reported feeling financially secure, though fewer described themselves as very secure compared with 2024.
- Financial stress related to inflation and everyday expenses remained common, even as stress related to health status has eased.
- Four in 10 enrollees reported that their health care costs had increased in the past year.