November 30, 2025
Newsweek recently published an article featuring Tal Gross, Professor of Markets, Public Policy, and Law, discussing the expected rise in medical debt in the U.S. in 2026.
Increasing health care and insurance costs, combined with changes to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), are projected to leave millions of Americans uninsured or underinsured. Cuts to Medicaid, the expiration of enhanced ACA tax credits, and higher employer plan costs could leave up to 15 million people facing higher deductibles and coinsurance burdens.
Experts warn that these trends will strain family budgets, reduce access to care, and negatively affect credit scores. Charities are already seeing rising demand for financial assistance, and many Americans are deeply concerned about growing health care costs.
Gross emphasizes the real-world impact on health care utilization:
“We want Americans to consume health care when they need it. There’s evidence that they will avoid health care if they anticipate that the health care will require large copayments or bills that they cannot pay. That is the main concern here,” Gross adds.
Scholars argue that expanding coverage, reducing out-of-pocket costs, and forgiving unpayable debt are essential steps to mitigate the financial and health consequences of rising medical debt.
