August 21, 2026 - News

Rising Healthcare Costs Create a Two-Tier System

Cost divide.
nurse taking blood pressure

Americans can’t afford to get sick.

Spent. Rising chronic disease rates are requiring more care and driving US healthcare costs to unsustainable levels.

Top line. Spending jumped ~7% last year to $5.7T. As an aging population strains the system, costs are projected to hit $9T by 2034, consuming a fifth of GDP.

Opt out. A barrier to care, 92% of adults have delayed treatment due to cost, while a third say a condition worsened because they can’t afford meds. Snowballing, Americans have $220B in medical debt, including >80% of borrowers owing $1K–10K.

Workload. Driven by high-cost claims and swelling pharmaceutical spend, employer healthcare costs are expected to rise nearly 10% for the fourth straight year. Even as employers pay an average ~$19K per worker, employees still shoulder $5.3K through contributions and out-of-pocket costs.

Punchline: The only high-income nation without universal coverage, the US healthcare system is fracturing into two markets: consumers who can afford to take control of their health, and those who can’t afford to escape sick care.

Ryan Deer
Ryan Deer
Strategic intelligence for the future of health.

We break down how fitness, wellness, and healthcare are converging — and what it means for business, culture, and capital.

No thanks.