One-third of Americans skip meals or other needs to afford health care

Washington Post
by Daniel Wu
March 12, 2026
6 views
2 min read

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The Bottom Line

A new Gallup poll shows one-third of Americans skip necessities to afford healthcare.

How This Affects You

One-third of Americans are sacrificing basic needs like meals to cover healthcare costs, impacting their financial stability and well-being.

AI Summary

A new Gallup poll found that approximately half of middle-income households have delayed a major life event due to medical costs. The poll also revealed that one-third of Americans skip meals or other necessities to afford healthcare. The article does not specify who conducted the poll or what systems were affected. The documented consequence is the delay of major life events and the skipping of essential needs by Americans.

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