U.S. employees are highly motivated to improve their health, but are limited by finances, time, and work structure, according to a recent survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Heart Association.
The rising cost of healthcare is a particularly pressing concern. Half (50%) of survey respondents agree that healthcare costs have made it difficult to afford day-to-day expenses, including food, childcare and rent. Nearly as many (47%) say they have stopped or decreased their retirement contributions to afford healthcare costs and maintain a healthy lifestyle. For employees already stretched thin by limited wage growth and inflation, healthcare costs represent a larger percentage of take-home pay, leaving even less room to absorb price increases or unexpected expenses.
“No one should have to skip buying groceries or halt their retirement savings to cover medical expenses,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. “The American Heart Association is committed to addressing healthcare affordability in our efforts to build a world of longer, healthier lives. Employers are important allies in this work—their influence is critical to prioritizing more affordable, accessible care for all.”
According to a 2026 Business Group on Health survey, large employers anticipate a median 9% increase in healthcare costs this year before cost-reduction measures. In response, business leaders are increasingly focused not only on lowering costs, but on how they can strengthen comprehensive support and drive systems-level change for the well-being of the workforce.
A recent Presidential Advisory from the American Heart Association warns that healthcare affordability in the U.S. has reached crisis levels. The advisory outlines five core principles to guide policymakers and stakeholders toward a more affordable and sustainable healthcare 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 healthcare ecosystem for advancing a more efficient, transparent and cost-conscious healthcare system.
• Strategic investments in the healthcare workforce, infrastructure and data.
• Strengthen the public health infrastructure and address health inequities.
In addition to healthcare costs (21%), the recent Harris Poll survey found managing work-life balance (36%), finding the time (30%), and parenting and caregiving responsibilities (23%) are key barriers for employees in managing their health. The vast majority of U.S. employees agree that employee health and well-being should be supported in how they work day-to-day, not just through policies or program offerings (92%), and a similar proportion want company leaders to set a good example for employees when it comes to work-life balance (93%).
American Heart Association