JACKSON, Miss., May 21, 2026 – With health care costs constituting a major source of concern across the U.S., the American Heart Association, a relentless force changing the future of health for everyone, everywhere, released a Presidential Advisory warning that health care affordability in this country has reached crisis levels and outlining key principles to address the problem.
The advisory, released April 30, states that total health care spending nationwide is approaching $5 trillion annually and is projected to consume 20% of the nation’s gross domestic product within the next decade, placing unsustainable pressure on patients, families and the health care system. The Heart Association projects that health care costs related to cardiovascular disease will quadruple by 2050.
At the same time, a recent public opinion survey from Gallup indicated that people across the country are worried about being able to access and afford health care. According to a survey from political pollster McLaughlin & Associates, more than half (51%) of voters say health insurance is their top health concern. Other top worries include hospital bills (11%) and the cost of medicines (10%).
The Presidential Advisory details how rising costs threaten the long-term sustainability of the health care system in the United States and jeopardize patients’ access to care, putting the health of families and communities nationwide at risk.
“Health care affordability is one of the defining challenges of our time,” said Dhruv S. Kazi, M.D., M.S., American Heart Association volunteer and writing committee chair, director of the Cardiac Critical Care Unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA. “This advisory outlines core guiding principles for action to ensure everyone in this country has access to the care they need and the health care system is sustainable for generations to come.”
Rising costs have real-world consequences, including forcing patients to delay or forgo care, which worsens health outcomes and contributes to financial hardship and medical debt. Medical debt, a uniquely American problem among high-income countries, is a leading cause of personal bankruptcy. The advisory warns that rising costs are impacting patients, families, employers, clinicians and communities nationwide.
The advisory identifies a complex set of interconnected drivers behind rising health care costs, including:
- High prices for treatments and services
- Administrative complexity
- Underinvestment in prevention and public health
- Demographic shifts
- Cost shifting to patients
The Heart Association suggests that affordability cannot be addressed through cuts alone -- strategic investments in the health care workforce, infrastructure, primary care, data and public health are also necessary to improve outcomes while controlling long-term costs.
The Heart Association outlines five core principles to guide policymakers and stakeholders toward a more affordable and sustainable health care system, including:
- Access to high-quality care without financial hardship.
- Minimal or no-cost-sharing for high-value, cost-effective care, including preventive services.
- Shared accountability across the health care ecosystem for advancing a more efficient, transparent and cost-conscious health care system.
- Strategic investments in the health care workforce, infrastructure and data.
- Strengthen the public health infrastructure and address health inequities.
American Heart Association Urgers Action in Mississippi:
In Mississippi, rising costs and limited healthcare access are creating challenges for hardworking citizens. In support of access to care, the Heart Association supports protecting and expanding Medicaid.
“Mississippi’s rural communities face more limited access to healthcare providers and life-saving treatments,” said Laken Camp, government relations director for the American Heart Association. “Medicaid as a crucial step in ensuring more Mississippians can access routine check-ups, early screenings, and essential medications. It’s a common-sense solution to support hardworking individuals in the coverage gap, like many farmers, veterans and small business owners.”
The coverage gap refers to when someone is working hard but not making enough to afford private insurance and making too much to qualify for Medicaid. This challenge hits rural areas particularly hard, where residents often drive hours to access care. Medicaid expansion could reduce these disparities by supporting local hospitals and ensuring access to preventive care.
Roy Tolbert, health care advocate in Harrison County, Miss., says he sees every day how access to care — or the lack of it — affects the lives of people.
“When families can afford to see a doctor, they stay healthy, keep working, and give back to the community,” added Tolbert. “But when they cannot, we all feel the impact — through unpaid hospital bills, struggling clinics, and heartbreaking situations that could have been prevented with timely care. That is why protecting Medicaid coverage in Mississippi is so important. Health care costs keep rising, and for so many hardworking families, ensuring access to care is not just the right thing to do — it is one of the smartest, most cost-effective investments our state can make. It keeps people healthy, communities stable, and local economies strong.
The Heart Association encourages and challenges policymakers, health care leaders and stakeholders to use this advisory as a roadmap for meaningful action across all sectors to address the nation’s health care affordability crisis. The Heart Association emphasizes that reducing financial barriers to evidence-based, cost-effective care, prioritizing prevention and investing strategically in the health care workforce, infrastructure and public health are necessary to address health care affordability, which is essential to improving health outcomes and ensuring a more sustainable health care system for future generations.
The advisory was created by a volunteer writing group of experts on behalf of the Heart Association. Presidential advisories, policy statements and scientific statements promote greater awareness about cardiovascular disease and stroke and help facilitate informed health care decisions and policy and systems changes. They outline what data and evidence are known about a specific policy topic and what areas need additional research. Co-authors and their disclosures are listed in the manuscript.
Mississippians can learn more and get involved in the campaign by texting “BETTER” to 46839, or by visiting heartpowered.org/campaigns/bettermississippi/.
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About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.
For Media Inquiries:
Mary Brinson: mary.brinson@heart.org
For Public Inquiries: (800)-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)
