A recent survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Heart Association reveals a stark contrast between employees' health aspirations and financial realities. While 95% of U.S. employees are actively trying to improve their health and well-being, half report that healthcare costs have made it difficult to pay for 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.
“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.”
The findings come as employers face rising healthcare costs themselves. 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; strategic investments in the healthcare workforce, infrastructure and data; and strengthening public health infrastructure to address health inequities.
In addition to healthcare costs (21%), the 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%).
The survey was conducted among 2,001 employees (defined as U.S. adults age 18+ who are employed full or part time by a company with 25+ employees, enrolled in a health plan offered by their employer). Data was collected February 26 – March 12, 2026 and weighted to be representative of the U.S. employed population. The sample data is accurate to within ± 2.8 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.
More than 8 in 10 (82%) U.S. adults say they are confident in the American Heart Association to provide trustworthy information related to public health, according to a recent poll by the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center.
