Have Americans reached a breaking point with our health care system?

More than a quarter of households with annual incomes below $48,000 (28%) reported going without prescribed medications in recent months.

A new survey from Gallup and West Health finds stress over health care at an all-time high among consumers in the U.S. The report outlines concerns about affordability, access, and inequities—issues that have been raised before but are even more pressing after nearly two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey polled 6,600 U.S. adults, seeking a comprehensive overview of opinions on health care.

The analysis estimates that nearly 100 million Americans regard their health care system as “expensive” and “broken.” The poll found that 59% of Americans say they are more worried about the cost of health care services than in the past, and 45% are more worried about the cost of prescription drugs. More than half say the high cost of health care contributes some (36%) or a lot (15%) of stress to their daily lives. And nearly a quarter of Americans (23%) say that health care costs are a major financial burden.