Health costs continue to top U.S. voters’ list of affordability worries (64%) on par with those who worry about gas prices and transportation costs (64%), according to a new poll released Wednesday by KFF, formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation.
In January 2026, prior to the start of the U.S. war with Iran, gasoline and transportation costs ranked at the bottom of household financial worries. Now, in the latest KFF Health Tracking Poll conducted April 14-19, 2026, gas prices share the top spot with healthcare costs as the biggest financial worry adults face for themselves and their families.
Among the 64% who reported being worried about healthcare costs, 30% said they were “very worried” about paying for healthcare, including the cost of health insurance and out-of-pocket costs for office visits and prescription drugs. In January, 66% of those polled said they were worried, and 32% reported being “very worried,” about healthcare costs.
The percentage of voters worried about gasoline prices and transportation costs increased from 52% in January to 64% in April. Those who said they were “very worried” about gas prices increased from 17% in January to 29% in April.
The percentage of voters reporting they were “very worried” about groceries (23%), rent or mortgage (21%) and monthly utility costs (21%) was lower than those “very worried” about either gas/transportation costs or healthcare in April.
Even among adults with health insurance coverage, lowering health care costs is a top concern. When asked about possible changes that could be made to their health insurance, about half of insured adults say “paying less out-of-pocket for health care” (46%) is most important, more than twice the share who choose “eliminating prior authorization” (22%), an area that previous KFF polls have identified as a significant pain point for healthcare consumers.
With about six months to go before the midterm Congressional elections, most voters disapprove of how the Trump administration is handling issues related to healthcare costs, the poll found. One-third of voters (33%) approve of the administration’s handling of the cost of health care while two-thirds (67%) say they disapprove – including 45% who say they “strongly disapprove.”
