According to a recent Gallup poll, the number of U.S. adults unable to afford or access quality health care has risen by 3 percentage points since 2021, reaching a record high of 11%, or about 29 million people. The steepest increases were seen among low-income and minority groups: Hispanic adults rose 8 points to 18%, Black adults rose 5 points to 14%, and those earning under $24,000 annually rose 11 points to 25%. Over the same period, the share of adults considered “cost secure” dropped significantly, especially among Hispanic adults (down 17 points to 34%) and Black adults (down 13 points to 41%). These shifts underscore the widening gap in health care access and affordability since 2021 – and the important role of CHCs.
