Soaring healthcare costs are forcing people to make troubling trade-offs, like skipping meals — and the situation is about to get worse

• / Rising healthcare costs are pushing households to cut essential expenses like food and social activities, signaling deeper financial strain.
• / Policy interventions may be needed to address affordability gaps, as current trends risk worsening public health outcomes and inequality.
• / Businesses and insurers could face backlash or regulatory pressure if cost burdens continue to shift onto consumers without relief.

AI-generated summary for informational purposes. Verify with original source.