Survey Highlights:

• 95% of U.S. employees are actively trying to improve their health and well-being.
• 50% report healthcare costs have made it difficult to pay for day-to-day expenses, including food, childcare and rent.
• 47% are reducing or stopping retirement contributions to afford healthcare costs and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

DALLAS - June 22, 2026 (NEWMEDIAWIRE) - U.S. employees[1] 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, a relentless force changing the future of health for everyone, everywhere.

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:

1. Access to high-quality care without financial hardship.
2. Minimal or no-cost-sharing for high-value, cost-effective care, including preventive services.
3. Shared accountability across the healthcare ecosystem for advancing a more efficient, transparent and cost-conscious healthcare system.
4. Strategic investments in the healthcare workforce, infrastructure and data.
5. 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%).

Survey Methodology

The Harris Poll conducted research among 2,001 employees (defined as U.S. adults age 18+ who are employed full or part time (not self-employed) by a company with 25+ employees, are enrolled in a health plan offered by their employer and whose health coverage is provided by their employer). The survey was conducted February 26 – March 12, 2026.

Data was weighted where necessary by age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, marital status, household size, employment and household income, as well as company size, in order to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population. Respondents to this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Poll surveys. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within ± 2.8 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to other multiple sources of error that are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including, but not limited to coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments.

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.

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

For Media Inquiries: 214-706-1173

Steve Weiss - steve.weiss@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

[1] U.S. adults age 18+ who are employed full or part time (not self-employed) with a company with 25+ employees, are enrolled in a health plan offered by their employer, and their coverage is provided by their employer (i.e., they did not receive a stipend).

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