West Health Institute Jun 18 2026 New research released today from the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America finds that fewer than half of Americans (49%) are considered "Cost Secure," meaning they can consistently afford healthcare and prescription medications when and where they need them, the lowest level recorded since West Health and Gallup launched its Healthcare Affordability Index in 2021. In the past year alone, 2.8 million Americans dropped out of the Cost Secure category,