These are Americans’ biggest priorities for the government in 2026, according to a new AP-NORC poll

Americans Increasingly Concerned About Health Care Costs as 2026 Approaches

Julia Dvorak watches with growing anxiety as her 83-year-old mother’s emergency room visits for seizures steadily deplete her retirement savings. At 56, Dvorak herself faces uncertainty about her own health expenses, which she expects to rise next year due to her chronic knee condition that keeps her dependent on state and federal assistance.

This financial squeeze reflects a broader national trend revealed in a new AP-NORC poll showing health care has become a significantly greater concern for Americans heading into 2026.

The poll, which asked respondents to identify their top priorities for government action, showed a marked increase in health care concerns compared to last year. About 40 percent of U.S. adults now list health care or health issues among their top five priorities, up from roughly one-third in the previous survey.

This uptick comes in the wake of the Trump administration’s reduction in Medicaid spending and decision to end pandemic-era subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. These policy changes virtually guarantee millions of Americans will face substantially higher health insurance costs early next year, potentially making health care a central issue in the upcoming midterm elections.

“I see how it affects me and my loved ones,” said Dvorak, who lives outside Cedar Rapids, Iowa. “But I also know it’s affecting other people, and it’s getting worse.”

While immigration and inflation remain pressing concerns for many Americans, the focus on health care costs has intensified, particularly among adults aged 45 to 59 – a demographic facing higher health expenses but not yet eligible for Medicare.

Joshua Campbell, a 38-year-old small business owner from Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, voted for Trump and generally approves of his presidency, especially on immigration. However, Campbell was shocked by the high cost of health insurance when seeking coverage for his young daughter.

“Health care costs are pretty crazy,” Campbell said. “I just thought, ‘Man, there’s got to be something better than what we have.'”

The current landscape bears similarities to what Trump faced during his first term, when health care reform dominated public concern. Now, however, the president must also contend with widespread anxiety about living expenses, with about one-third of Americans citing cost-of-living concerns – an issue that barely registered in 2017.

Campbell, who describes himself as politically conservative, reflected on his evolving view of health care reform. While initially skeptical of the Affordable Care Act, he now sees it as a step in the right direction. “I do think they were at least trying to do something,” he said, expressing disappointment that Republicans haven’t offered better alternatives.

Inflation and high living costs, persistent concerns since late 2021, continue to affect American households. Tommy Carosone, a 44-year-old jet aircraft mechanic from St. Peter’s, Missouri, notices the impact every time his wife returns from grocery shopping.

“My wife is spending so much more money on groceries than just a few years ago,” said Carosone, who supports his family of four on a single income. “She tells me it’s stupid expensive, especially meat. Ground beef, bacon, anything from the deli. It’s outrageous.”

Despite voting for Trump and supporting his tariff policies, Carosone acknowledges these economic pressures might persist until trade disputes are resolved. “In the meantime, what are you going to do, not eat?” he said.

Housing costs have also emerged as a growing concern, particularly among younger Americans. About one in five U.S. adults want the federal government to address housing expenses in the coming year, with about 25 percent of adults under 30 highlighting this issue, compared to just 10 percent of those over 60.

On immigration, the poll reveals interesting shifts in partisan concerns. While 44 percent of Americans still want the government to prioritize immigration issues, the breakdown shows Republicans’ focus on the issue has declined while Democrats’ concerns have increased. About 60 percent of Republicans mentioned immigration as a priority, down from 70 percent last year, while Democratic concern rose to 40 percent from 32 percent.

The poll also reveals growing pessimism about government effectiveness, with 66 percent of U.S. adults saying they are “slightly” or “not at all confident” that the government will make progress on important problems facing the country in 2026 – an increase from 58 percent expressing similar doubts last year.

The AP-NORC poll surveyed 1,146 adults between December 4-8 using NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.