NEW YORK (Realist English). Rising costs of health insurance and medical services have become one of the main economic problems for American voters ahead of the midterm elections to Congress. Costs are rising for both low-income families and wealthy households, making healthcare a universal electoral issue.
What the numbers show
The average annual premium for an employer-provided family policy reached $26,993 in 2026 — a 6% increase from the previous year and nearly double the overall inflation rate of 2.7%. Workers pay an average of $6,850 of that sum.
For those who buy insurance independently through ACA markets, the situation is sharper. After expanded subsidies expired at the end of 2025, the average premium rose by 58%, and in some states — by up to 220%. The average ACA plan deductible jumped 37% — to a record $3,786. Many have switched to cheaper plans with high deductibles: where the deductible was previously $750, it is now $8,450.
Who this affects
The problem goes beyond traditionally vulnerable groups. Stephanie Wheat-Johnson of Texas, with a family income of $60,000, cannot afford a root canal at $3,600 because her insurance does not cover dentistry. Ed Travalia from the northwestern US pays nearly $32,000 a year for a basic ACA plan and has to economize on doctor visits.
KFF polls show that two-thirds of Americans are worried about being able to pay for medical care — more than about food or housing. Six in ten voters call healthcare costs the main affordability problem. Four in ten adults skip or delay necessary treatment because of cost.
Election battle
Healthcare has become one of the central themes of the campaign. Democrats accuse Republicans of unwillingness to extend expanded ACA subsidies and of cutting Medicaid by $1 trillion under the 2025 law. Republicans, in turn, point to the growing deficit and propose expanding health savings accounts.
Polls show that 66% of Americans support Medicare for All — up from 53% in 2020. Democrats have a double-digit advantage over Republicans on trust in healthcare. At the same time, 64% of voters do not have much trust in either party to solve the cost-of-living problem.
What this means
Rising healthcare costs have ceased to be a narrowly partisan issue. When medical expenses grow faster than wages and inflation, and insurance deductibles reach a quarter of annual income, discontent becomes bipartisan.
For voters, this is no longer an abstract debate about reform but a personal budget issue — comparable in significance to gasoline and grocery prices. The midterm elections will show how strongly this factor can change the balance of power in Congress.
