In late 2025, The Harris Poll published a stark new insight: rising healthcare costs are reshaping everyday decisions for millions of Americans — even those with insurance. Despite widespread coverage, many families are skipping essential care because of price pressures. This isn’t just a healthcare story — it’s a nutrition and preventive health issue with implications for long-term wellbeing and family finances.
According to the survey, nearly two in five insured adults reported avoiding medical care when sick due to cost concerns, and 41% skipped healthcare appointments altogether in the past year.
But even more revealing is what types of care Americans are letting slide:
These are the kinds of preventive services that catch problems before they become crises — and, in many ways, nutrition plays a similar role in chronic disease prevention.
Avoiding care might reduce today’s bills, but multiple studies show that delaying preventive services increases both long-term health risks and overall costs. For example, untreated dental or vision issues can contribute to broader systemic problems; unmanaged health conditions often result in more expensive acute treatment later. Public health research consistently points to the value of prevention — yet affordability remains a barrier.
The Harris Poll highlights that 31% of Americans cannot afford a surprise $500 medical bill, and 18% have used debt or credit cards to cover out-of-pocket care — illustrating the financial strain even insured families face.
This trend matters deeply to the Project FoodBox community. When families forgo preventive medical visits due to cost, the importance of accessible, everyday health strategies, such as nutrition, grows. Quality food — rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins — doesn’t just fuel daily life; it reduces risk for chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers.
Better nutrition is not a substitute for all medical care, but it is a powerful complement:
For many households navigating financial pressure, focusing on preventive nutrition can deliver measurable health benefits before problems require costly medical intervention.
The poll also found that health costs are a top retirement concern — 73% of Americans cite out-of-control healthcare expenses as a major worry, and 51% report that medical costs have eroded their savings.
Nutrition programs, community support initiatives, and education about preventive eating can help mitigate that long-term financial and physical risk. A household that embraces preventive nutrition may be less likely to develop chronic conditions that require expensive ongoing care.
The Harris Poll suggests three broad areas where change could help:
From a nutrition advocacy perspective, there’s also a role for:
Rising healthcare costs are forcing hard choices for families — and preventive care is often the first casualty. What does that mean for nutrition and community health? It underscores what public health experts have long emphasized: prevention matters. When families can’t afford regular care, what they put on their plates every day becomes even more important as a first line of defense.
At Project FoodBox, we celebrate and support strategies that make preventive nutrition accessible and actionable, helping families protect both their health and their financial wellbeing.