American Heart Association: The U.S. is Facing a Healthcare Affordability Crisis

MiBlue Daily

May 29, 2026

Healthcare affordability has become one of the biggest challenges facing families, employers, and the broader healthcare system — and national organizations are increasingly sounding the alarm.

In a new presidential advisory titled Health Care Affordability in the United States, From Crisis to Action, the American Heart Association (AHA) described rising healthcare costs as a growing crisis that is preventing many Americans from accessing the care they need.

The numbers are staggering. In 2024, national healthcare spending reached $5.3 trillion — more than $15,000 per person — accounting for nearly 18% of the U.S. economy.

The report reinforces many of the same affordability challenges Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has been highlighting across Michigan: upstream costs throughout the healthcare system are flowing downstream into higher health insurance premiums for families and employers.

According to the AHA, rising costs are being fueled by several major factors:

• High prices for hospital care, prescription drugs and medical devices
• An aging population with more chronic illness and complex health needs
• Administrative complexity and inefficiency across the system
• A healthcare payment model that rewards volume over outcomes
• Underinvestment in preventive care and public health

“Health systems are facing unprecedented financial headwinds, with a payment structure that largely rewards volume over value and offers few incentives to invest in prevention, primary care, or tackling the sociobehavioral factors that influence long-term health outcomes,” the report states.

That concern mirrors Blue Cross’ ongoing work to expand value-based care models that reward providers for helping patients stay healthier and preventing avoidable complications — not simply delivering more tests and procedures.

The report also cited findings from the American Hospital Association showing that from 2019 to 2024:

• 36% of hospital cost growth was tied to treating more patients
• 19% was linked to caring for patients with more medically complex conditions

These trends are contributing to rising costs across the entire system.