Healthcare

A West Health and Gallup survey finds that 11% of U.S. adults are unable to pay for needed healthcare and prescribed medicine, marking a new high in a four-year trend.

After sliding over the past decade, Americans' reports of their own mental and physical health held steady last year at the lowest levels in Gallup's 24-year trend.

Twelve percent of Americans report borrowing an estimated $74 billion to pay for healthcare expenses last year. More than one-quarter (28%) report being "very concerned" that a major health event could put them in medical debt in the future.

Americans are divided over President-elect Trump's policies for lowering healthcare costs. Views vary by political affiliation, but by two to one, independents think the policies take the U.S. in the wrong direction.

Americans rate the progress the U.S. has made during Biden's presidency as mostly negative across 18 economic, national and international areas.

Americans' agreement that the federal government must ensure all Americans have healthcare coverage now exceeds 60%, after declining to as low as 42% during the years when the Affordable Care Act was being debated and implemented.

Americans' positive rating of the quality of healthcare in the U.S. has fallen to its lowest point in Gallup's trend dating back to 2001.

Seven in 10 Americans say they would prefer that primary care providers ask about both mental and physical health concerns during appointments.

Nearly eight in 10 Americans, including majorities of Democrats and Republicans, favor a federal law requiring equal insurance coverage for mental and physical healthcare.

Healthcare retains its place as one of the higher-ranking issues voters say are influencing their vote this year.

U.S. voters rate the economy as the most important issue to their presidential vote, with democracy, potential Supreme Court picks and terrorism/national security also ranking highly.

Gallup data collected shortly before the U.K.'s July 4 election highlight major challenges that Prime Minister Keir Starmer inherited from his predecessors.

Just over seven in 10 Americans, 71%, believe doctors should be "allowed by law to end the patient's life by some painless means if the patient and his or her family request it."

Americans are now less likely to consider childhood vaccines as extremely important, with Republicans accounting for the drop.

The percentage of U.S. adults classified as "cost secure" has slipped to 55%, a new low. The biggest drop is among those aged 50 and older.

A majority of women in the U.S. struggle to make their health a top priority. This is especially true for younger women and women caring for children at home.

Most Americans say care for mental health issues is not on par with care for physical issues. Cost and access are seen as the top barriers to treatment.

While the vast majority of Americans believe healthcare organizations should be required to provide the cost of their products and services in advance, few Americans are aware of the costs before they receive care.