Affordability pressure is expanding beyond tuition as federal and private systems strain under healthcare cost anxiety, according to new findings from the West Health-Gallup Affordability Index. The survey reports that only about half of U.S. adults were “cost secure” last year—able to access quality care and afford needed medicine. The index shows a deterioration since the measure began in 2021: cost secure rates were 56% in 2021, rose to 61% in 2022, and fell to 49% in the latest period. Officials cited that concerns about the year ahead reached a record high, even though the data were collected before major policy changes to Medicaid and Affordable Care Act subsidies took effect. For students and working learners, the practical implication is that healthcare costs can derail completion timelines and increase financial fragility. The report includes examples of individuals using workplace coverage with high-deductible structures but facing delayed education and medical bill burdens after unexpected events.