Health Care Affordability in the United States, From Crisis to Action: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association.
S, K.D., A, B.J., M, B.R., Grace, F., C, J.J., B, M.M., Neil, M., Anne, O., E, R.S., L, S.B., G, V.K., & J, W.J. (2026). Health Care Affordability in the United States, From Crisis to Action: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association.. Circulation. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001442
S KD, A BJ, M BR, Grace F, C JJ, B MM, et al. Health Care Affordability in the United States, From Crisis to Action: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association.. Circulation. 2026; doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001442
S KD, A BJ, M BR, et al. Health Care Affordability in the United States, From Crisis to Action: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association.[J]. Circulation. 2026. DOI: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001442.
@article{s2026,
author = {Kazi Dhruv S and Beckman Joshua A and Benjamin Regina M and Firestone Grace and Johnson Janay C and McClellan Mark B and Meltzer Neil and Oxrider Anne and Rosen Stacey E and Scott Bertram L and Volpp Kevin G and Warner John J},
title = {Health Care Affordability in the United States, From Crisis to Action: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association.},
journal = {Circulation},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1161/CIR.0000000000001442},
note = {PMID: 42059068},
}
TY - JOUR AU - Kazi Dhruv S AU - Beckman Joshua A AU - Benjamin Regina M AU - Firestone Grace AU - Johnson Janay C AU - McClellan Mark B AU - Meltzer Neil AU - Oxrider Anne AU - Rosen Stacey E AU - Scott Bertram L AU - Volpp Kevin G AU - Warner John J TI - Health Care Affordability in the United States, From Crisis to Action: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association. T2 - Circulation PY - 2026 DO - 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001442 AN - PMID:42059068 ER -
The United States is facing a growing health care affordability crisis. In 2024, national health expenditures totalled $5.3 trillion, or $15 474 per person, accounting for 18.0% of the U.S. economy. Spending on health care continues to rise, propelled by high prices for services, drugs, and devices; growing administrative complexity; chronic underinvestment in prevention, primary care, and public health; and the mounting burden of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease. Patients, even those with insurance, frequently face financial hardship, delayed or foregone care, and medical debt because of gaps in coverage and inadequate consumer protections. Addressing this crisis will require coordinated action across the health care system, guided by evidence and a commitment to shared responsibility among key stakeholders. This Presidential Advisory from the American Heart Association draws on interviews and listening sessions with patients, clinicians, payers, employers, health system leaders, and public health experts to examine the many dimensions of affordability and offer a practical framework for action. The Advisory presents 5 core principles to guide efforts to address the affordability crisis: ensuring access to high-quality care without financial hardship; minimizing cost sharing for high-value services; creating shared accountability across the health care system; investing in the workforce, infrastructure, and data systems needed to support progress; and addressing the social and structural factors that make care less affordable for many communities. The evidence, tools, and expertise to combat the health care affordability crisis already exist. What is needed now is the collective will to act.