American Heart Association: The U.S. Is Facing a Healthcare Affordability Crisis

05.21.2026 | 4 min read

Key Takeaways

A new American Heart Association report described rising healthcare costs as a growing crisis that is preventing many Americans from accessing the care they need.
In 2024, national healthcare spending reached $5.3 trillion, accounting for nearly 18% of the U.S. economy.
The report highlighted congenital heart disease as one example. While advances in medicine have helped more children survive into adulthood, many patients require lifelong monitoring, surgeries and specialist care.
The AHA argues that improving affordability will require a stronger focus on prevention, early intervention and better long-term health outcomes.

Healthcare affordability has become one of the biggest challenges facing families, employers and the broader healthcare system — and national organizations are increasingly sounding the alarm.

In a new presidential advisory titled Health Care Affordability in the United States, From Crisis to Action, the American Heart Association (AHA) described rising healthcare costs as a growing crisis that is preventing many Americans from accessing the care they need.

The numbers are staggering. In 2024, national healthcare spending reached $5.3 trillion — more than $15,000 per person — accounting for nearly 18% of the U.S. economy.

The report reinforces many of the same affordability challenges Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has been highlighting across Michigan: upstream costs throughout the healthcare system are flowing downstream into higher health insurance premiums for families and employers.

What’s driving rising healthcare costs?

According to the AHA, rising costs are being fueled by several major factors:

High prices for hospital care, prescription drugs and medical devices
An aging population with more chronic illness and complex health needs
Administrative complexity and inefficiency across the system
A healthcare payment model that rewards volume over outcomes
Underinvestment in preventive care and public health

“Health systems are facing unprecedented financial headwinds, with a payment structure that largely rewards volume over value and offers few incentives to invest in prevention, primary care, or tackling the sociobehavioral factors that influence long-term health outcomes,” the report states.

That concern mirrors Blue Cross’ ongoing work to expand value-based care models that reward providers for helping patients stay healthier and preventing avoidable complications — not simply delivering more tests and procedures.

The report also cited findings from the American Hospital Association showing that from 2019 to 2024:

36% of hospital cost growth was tied to treating more patients
19% was linked to caring for patients with more medically complex conditions

These trends are contributing to rising costs across the entire system.

The impact on families and employers

The AHA report emphasizes that affordability challenges affect far more than monthly premiums.

Even insured patients are increasingly delaying or skipping care because of deductibles, copays and out-of-pocket expenses. The report notes that costs related to transportation, child care, elder care and lost wages also create barriers to accessing treatment.

“The number one thing is stress,” one patient told the AHA. “Every time something happens, I have to analyze, ‘Can I afford this care?’”

The affordability crisis is also placing significant strain on employers. According to the report, employers are often left with two difficult choices:

Absorb rising healthcare costs, reducing resources available for growth and investment
Pass higher costs onto employees through increased premiums or cost sharing

In a 2024 employer survey cited by the AHA, 74% of employers said rising healthcare costs reduced or eliminated room for employee pay raises.

Why prevention and better outcomes matter

The AHA argues that improving affordability will require a stronger focus on prevention, early intervention and better long-term health outcomes.

When chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and hypertension are not addressed early, patients are more likely to need expensive emergency care, hospital stays and long-term treatment later.

The report highlighted congenital heart disease as one example. While advances in medicine have helped more children survive into adulthood, many patients require lifelong monitoring, surgeries and specialist care. For patients with complex congenital heart disease, the lifetime financial burden can exceed $2 million per patient.

The report argues these realities show why affordability solutions must go beyond insurance premiums and address the full cost of managing chronic illness.

A systemwide responsibility

Ultimately, the AHA describes affordability as a shared responsibility requiring action from insurers, hospitals, employers, policymakers and public health organizations.

“Truly improving affordability will require give-and-take among all major stakeholders in service of a system that works better for everyone,” the report states.

The organization called for:

Greater investment in preventive care
More transparency and accountability across the system
Better alignment between payment and patient outcomes
Policies that improve access to high-value care without financial hardship

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is committed to making healthcare more affordable

From lowering prescription drug costs and expanding value-based care partnerships to investing in preventive care, member health programs and community health initiatives, Blue Cross is focused on solutions that improve health outcomes while helping address the cost pressures driving premiums higher.

Improving affordability will require ongoing collaboration, innovation and accountability across the entire healthcare system. Blue Cross remains committed to leading that work while helping people better understand the factors shaping healthcare costs and the solutions making a difference.

Learn more about Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s affordability efforts and solutions at mibluedaily.com/affordability, and by checking out these blogs:

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