Healthcare in the United States is becoming more expensive every year—and new federal projections suggest that trend isn’t slowing down.

The latest estimates from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services show Americans spent about $5.7 trillion on healthcare in 2025, a 7.3% increase from the previous year.

By 2034, Fierce Healthcare reports that national health spending is projected to reach nearly $9 trillion, accounting for more than one-fifth of the nation’s economy.

What is driving those increases?

 Federal experts point to continued demand for healthcare services, an aging population, and growing use of high-cost prescription drugs, including medications used to treat cancer and obesity.

For consumers, the numbers are a reminder that rising healthcare costs affect more than government budgets. They can influence insurance premiums, deductibles, out-of-pocket costs and, ultimately, what families pay to get the care they need.

Affordable healthcare remains one of Americans’ top concerns, and these new projections underscore why.

What do you think? Are rising healthcare costs affecting your family or making it harder to get the care you need? Share your story with Voices for Affordable Health.

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