Americans Give Healthcare a 'C' Grade as Uncertainty in the System Grows
Findings from two recent surveys found that U.S. healthcare consumers lack much of their confidence in affordability and access to healthcare, as well as patient safety.
Americans are growing increasingly frustrated with the healthcare system, with nearly three-quarters of survey respondents giving it a “C” grade or lower.
The survey, conducted by eHealth, which polled over 1,000 Americans, sheds light on concerns over affordability, accessibility and government regulation.
It was found that many struggle to afford healthcare and access necessary services.
More than half of respondents reported difficulty securing care when needed, affording insurance premiums or paying for prescriptions. Nearly half have had to choose between medical expenses and covering basic necessities like food and housing.
Adding to these frustrations, more than a third worry more about rising healthcare costs than the increasing price of food and other essentials.
Survey respondents hold multiple groups responsible for the healthcare system’s decline, with:
- 66% blaming health insurers
- 60% blame pharmaceutical companies
- 42% point to politicians
- And 34% cite fraud, waste and abuse.
To add to their concerns, confidence in reform is also low.
A majority (59%) doubt that the Trump administration will prioritize lowering healthcare costs, with feelings of skepticism spanning political parties—Republicans, Democrats and independents sharing concerns about the likelihood of meaningful change.
While most Americans (86%) believe healthcare is a human right, opinions differ on what that means, with many (75%) feeling everyone should have access to “routine” medical care, 70% feeling no one should go bankrupt due to medical bills and less than half (48%) saying healthcare should be free for everyone.
It was also found that rather than supporting government-funded or free care, the majority of respondents favor guaranteed access to routine medical services. In addition, 66% support banning direct-to-consumer drug advertisements, a move that would significantly impact how pharmaceutical companies market their products.
Extending further from affordability and access, issues on patient safety are on the rise.
A separate report from ECRI, which identifies the "Top 10 Patient Safety Threats for 2025," ranked the dismissal of patient and caregiver concerns as the number one risk.
“Most clinicians have a deep commitment to healing and protecting their patients and would never intentionally make a patient feel unheard, but it nevertheless happens with alarming frequency,” said Marcus Schabacker, MD, PhD, president and chief executive officer of ECRI, in a press release.
“Providing high-quality healthcare starts with truly listening to patients. When we value their input, we gain critical insights that improve patient outcomes and build trust. A healthcare system that prioritizes patient voices is one that delivers safer, more efficient, and more compassionate care for all. Unfortunately, too many clinicians are operating under time and resource constraints that fuel substandard care.”
However, time constraints and resource shortages often prevent clinicians from fully engaging with patients, adding fuel to the frustration and waning trust in the system.
To create the list, ECRI and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices analyzed expert nominations, public input and data from incident reports, medical alerts and research requests.
A cross-disciplinary team then ranked the concerns based on severity, frequency, breadth, difficulty of detection and organizational impact to identify the most urgent patient safety risks.
The top 10 most pressing patient safety concerns for the upcoming year are:
- Dismissing patient, family, and caregiver concerns
- Insufficient governance of artificial intelligence
- Spread of medical misinformation
- Cybersecurity breaches
- Caring for veterans in non-military health settings
- Substandard and falsified drugs
- Diagnostic errors in cancers, vascular events, and infections
- Healthcare-associated infections in long-term care facilities
- Inadequate coordination during patient discharge
- Deteriorating working conditions in community pharmacies
As public trust in the healthcare system declines and it continues to receive average ratings, it’s evident the need for reform has become urgent.
Based on the data, Americans are requesting greater transparency, affordability and a stronger focus on patient-centered care.
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