One in three Americans forced to make financial sacrifices for health coverage

PBS NewsHour
by Stephanie Sy
April 17, 2026
13 views
2 min read

Quick Insights

The Bottom Line

One in three Americans must make financial sacrifices to afford health coverage.

How This Affects You

You or someone you know may be struggling to afford health coverage due to rising costs and expired ACA subsidies.

AI Summary

One in three Americans are currently forced to make financial sacrifices to afford their health coverage. This struggle comes as rising healthcare costs remain a significant concern, particularly after an expansion of Affordable Care Act subsidies expired. The situation highlights ongoing affordability challenges for many, including those beyond just ACA enrollees. Stephanie Sy reports on these widespread financial pressures.

Following this story?

Get notified when new coverage appears

Should this be getting more attention?

You Might Have Missed

Related stories from different sources and perspectives

Why many Americans are turning to AI for health advice, according to recent polls - AP News
Health

Why many Americans are turning to AI for health advice, according to recent polls - AP News

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikgFBVV95cUxONmRnUVMwOXdqNmk0WFI4ODFiVzBCdTN6LWtackdKTFd5OUlITWdUQjI1NmYyT3lsLTdTbi1XUHVabzVYd0FhTV91cDJqdTAzbEZYMVFoQXVCM0p2UUFaWFpPakpVUW5SdGVqaGNraUpKNTdHVXhCLU4tV2YyXzRCT1p2UlFFd2xNUTQ5Y3J2WjJRZw?oc=5" target="_blank">Why many Americans are turning to AI for health advice, according to recent polls</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">AP News</font>

AP NewsApr 15
Why so many Americans are using AI for health guidance
Health

Why so many Americans are using AI for health guidance

Turning to artificial intelligence tools for health advice has become a habit for many other Americans, according to a West Health–Gallup Center on Healthcare in America poll published Wednesday.

PBS NewsHourApr 16
US states drop Medicaid coverage of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs as demand rises
Health

US states drop Medicaid coverage of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs as demand rises

<p>Experts say any short-term financial benefit will be outweighed by long-term health costs related to obesity</p><p>Faced with high demand for GLP-1 drugs, some American cities and states that previously covered the cost of the weight-loss medication for low-income residents and public employees have now started to restrict or eliminate coverage.</p><p>The pullback stems from the dramatic increase in public spending on drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy in recent years.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/14/states-medicaid-coverage-glp-1">Continue reading...</a>

The Guardian US NewsApr 14
Some AI-generated health podcasts spreading misinformation
Health

Some AI-generated health podcasts spreading misinformation

Millions of Americans get health information from podcasts. Now, some medical experts are warning about the harmful impacts of misinformation on these programs. CBS News medical contributor Dr. Céline Gounder has more.

CBS NewsApr 17
How Islamophobic rhetoric leaves an impact on the mental health of Muslim Americans
Civil Rights

How Islamophobic rhetoric leaves an impact on the mental health of Muslim Americans

Negative portrayals of Muslims shape public attitudes and lead to increased discrimination, often resulting in hate crimes and psychological harm.

The ConversationApr 17
Americans hate the 2026 economy
Finance

Americans hate the 2026 economy

<p>The economy has been steadily growing for the last five years, and inflation is way down from its peak nearly four years ago. Public opinion about the economy, by contrast, keeps plumbing new depths.</p><p><strong>The big picture: </strong>Americans are decisively negative about the economic picture, despite conventional measures of economic performance remaining reasonably solid.</p><ul><li>It suggests both a new political state of nature and an undercurrent of gloom that traditional economic data and analysis don't quite capture.</li></ul><hr><p><strong>Catch up quick: </strong>A preliminary April reading from the University of Michigan consumer sentiment surveys <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/04/10/consumers-michigan-economy-sentiment" target="_blank">was lower</a> than that index has ever been, in data that has been consistently collected since 1978.</p><ul><li>That data was mostly collected before last week's ceasefire in the Iran war, so the final number may not be qui...

AxiosApr 13
Read Next
Texas Medical Board Sanctions Three Doctors for Delayed Care That Led to the Deaths of Two Pregnant Women
Health

Texas Medical Board Sanctions Three Doctors for Delayed Care That Led to the Deaths of Two Pregnant Women

The post Texas Medical Board Sanctions Three Doctors for Delayed Care That Led to the Deaths of Two Pregnant Women appeared first on ProPublica .

Continue reading

Did this story change how you see things?

Stories like this only matter when people see them. Help us get verified journalism in front of more eyes.

Share this story

Get the daily digest

Save for later

The Verity Ledger curates verified investigative journalism from trusted sources only.

See our sources