US Health Care Costs Skyrocket, Leaving Millions in Financial Turmoil
The end of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies is set to take effect in December 2025, leaving millions of Americans facing astronomical health care costs. Small business owners and individuals alike are bracing for the financial hit, with some even considering going without health insurance for the first time in their lives.
For Andy Lilienthal, a 47-year-old freelance journalist and marketer, the thought of losing his health insurance is causing significant anxiety. Currently, he pays $660 per month for health insurance through the ACA marketplace, but that price will balloon to nearly $1,700 per month in 2026 without subsidies. This would be more than his monthly mortgage payment.
Lilienthal's concerns are echoed by Alaina Shearer, owner of a boutique ad agency who is considering abandoning her current health plan due to its high cost. Despite paying an average of $400 per month for copays and prescriptions, the deductible is $20,000, making it difficult to afford medical screenings. Shearer estimates that her new plan will cost $2,300 per month, which would be a significant burden.
The US is the only developed country without universal health care, despite spending more on healthcare per person than any other nation. Experts point to various factors contributing to high healthcare costs, including the high cost of hospital services and the profit margins of insurance companies.
Munira Z. Gunja, a senior researcher at the Commonwealth Fund, notes that healthcare is an expensive industry due to the complexity of services offered by hospitals. "For insurance companies, there's a whole spectrum of services where other people will profit, and the consumer may not see better health outcomes," she says.
The financial burden of losing ACA subsidies will disproportionately affect low-income families, who rely heavily on government subsidies for affordable healthcare. Deborah Kevin, a 62-year-old small business owner in Baltimore, Maryland, is struggling to afford her current premium, which will increase by nearly $900 per month without subsidies.
As the deadline approaches, many Americans are experiencing stress and uncertainty about their ability to afford healthcare. The lack of universal health care has taken a toll on public health, with millions of people unable to access necessary medical care due to cost constraints. As one expert notes, "There's a quiet kind of stress that comes with running your own company... This health insurance increase makes that weight even heavier."
The end of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies is set to take effect in December 2025, leaving millions of Americans facing astronomical health care costs. Small business owners and individuals alike are bracing for the financial hit, with some even considering going without health insurance for the first time in their lives.
For Andy Lilienthal, a 47-year-old freelance journalist and marketer, the thought of losing his health insurance is causing significant anxiety. Currently, he pays $660 per month for health insurance through the ACA marketplace, but that price will balloon to nearly $1,700 per month in 2026 without subsidies. This would be more than his monthly mortgage payment.
Lilienthal's concerns are echoed by Alaina Shearer, owner of a boutique ad agency who is considering abandoning her current health plan due to its high cost. Despite paying an average of $400 per month for copays and prescriptions, the deductible is $20,000, making it difficult to afford medical screenings. Shearer estimates that her new plan will cost $2,300 per month, which would be a significant burden.
The US is the only developed country without universal health care, despite spending more on healthcare per person than any other nation. Experts point to various factors contributing to high healthcare costs, including the high cost of hospital services and the profit margins of insurance companies.
Munira Z. Gunja, a senior researcher at the Commonwealth Fund, notes that healthcare is an expensive industry due to the complexity of services offered by hospitals. "For insurance companies, there's a whole spectrum of services where other people will profit, and the consumer may not see better health outcomes," she says.
The financial burden of losing ACA subsidies will disproportionately affect low-income families, who rely heavily on government subsidies for affordable healthcare. Deborah Kevin, a 62-year-old small business owner in Baltimore, Maryland, is struggling to afford her current premium, which will increase by nearly $900 per month without subsidies.
As the deadline approaches, many Americans are experiencing stress and uncertainty about their ability to afford healthcare. The lack of universal health care has taken a toll on public health, with millions of people unable to access necessary medical care due to cost constraints. As one expert notes, "There's a quiet kind of stress that comes with running your own company... This health insurance increase makes that weight even heavier."
this is wild man... ppl are literally going to lose their homes cuz they cant afford health insurance 
like whats the point of having a stable income if u got a family to feed and medical bills to pay 
and yeah, its all about the profit margins of insurance companies 
i feel like we need to rethink our healthcare system ASAP... maybe look into something like universal health care? 
I just can't believe how much the US is struggling with healthcare costs. It's like they're playing a game of Russian roulette with people's lives 
. And don't even get me started on the poor folks who can't afford anything because of cost 
.
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. Maybe it's time to rethink the whole 'private insurance' model and go for something more... universal 
.
i mean, i'm all for a free market and all that but come on, healthcare is not somethin you can just opt out of or switch to another plan every year. what if u gotta go see a doc and they're like "sorry buddy, that's gonna be $2k" and then u gotta fork over that much right there? 
it's like the system is designed to fail people, not help 'em
What's the point of having health insurance if it's just gonna break the bank?! 
The US is literally the only developed country w/o universal healthcare... how does that even happen? 
! It's crazy to think that millions are going to be left in financial turmoil when those subsidies disappear. I mean, who can afford $1,700/month for a health plan? It's not like these people have other expenses to worry about... 
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. We gotta think about how we can make healthcare more affordable and accessible 4 everyone 
It's crazy how the US is one of the only developed countries without universal healthcare 
.