36 percent Americans cannot afford to pay for a doctor's visit. Medical costs in the US are out of control

In 2025, as much as 36 percent adults gave up their doctor for financial reasons. Medical costs in the US are rising, causing concern, Axios reported, based on research by the independent health organization KFF and Ipsos polls.

The rates and direct expenses of patients paying out-of-pocket for visits are rising. In a decade, family premiums have increased by 52%, and health spending exceeds $5 trillion annually. This is driven by hospital care (up 10% in 2023-2024) and prescription drugs (up 8% in 2024), Axios highlights.

Reducing costs is difficult complicated system, gaps in data exchange, waste and ineffective regulations.– Federal policies that lead to greater complexity in the health care system also make the problem more difficult to solve. An example is the No Surprises Act, introduced to protect patients from unexpected bills for emergency and out-of-network treatment, Axios noted.

These regulations have created loopholes that allow out-of-network facilities to charge four times higher rates, which creates disputes and increases premiums. Research by the American insurance company Elevance Health also shows that patients overpay for the same services. For example, infusion therapy in hospitals is 42 percent lower. more expensive than in other facilities, with identical effects.

The American health system relies mainly on private policies from employersand the state pays for treatment only for selected groups, such as seniors or the poorest. Society's concerns are intensified by the increase in insurance premiums, based on a common pool of risks.

Andrzej Dobrowolski from New York (PAP)

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