Michigan

Consumer Healthcare Experience State Survey

Nationally, consumer worry about health care affordability is well documented. A new survey reveals how affordability concerns and ideas for action play out in Michigan.

A survey of more than 1,300 Michigan adults, conducted from June 30 to July 29, 2025, found:

Over 2 in 3 (68%) experienced at least one health care affordability burden in the past year;
Nearly 4 in 5 (76%) worry about affording health care in the future;
2 in 3 (65%) respondents delayed or went without health care due to cost in the last twelve months;
Low-income respondents and respondents with a disability or living in a household with a person with a disability reported higher rates of going without care due to cost and incurring medical debt, depleting savings, and/or sacrificing basic needs due to medical bills; and
Across party lines, respondents express strong support for policy-based solutions.

Health care is expensive in the U.S., and Michigan is no exception. More than two in every three respondents (68%) reported experiencing at least one health care affordability burden in the last year; such as being uninsured due to cost, delaying, or forgoing needed health services entirely due to cost or finding themselves in financial burden to their medical care.

2025 Briefs

Health Care Affordability

Prescription Drug Costs

Hospital Costs

Trust and Respect

Medical Debt and Surprise Medical Bills

2022 Briefs

Health Care Affordability

Health System Literacy

Regional Brief: Rural vs. Non-Rural

Recent Surveys

Michigan Residents Struggle to Afford High Healthcare Costs; Worry About Affording Future Care; Support Government Action across Party Lines

Key Findings A survey of over 920 Michigan adults, conducted from October 20, 2021 to December 16, 2021, found that: Survey context: During the survey period, Michigan residents were experiencing a fourth wave of COVID-19 infection and disease. Rates of hospitalization and…

Difficulty Navigating Cost Obligations Adds to Healthcare Affordability Woes in Michigan

A 2021 survey of more than 920 Michigan adults found that residents face heavy healthcare affordability burdens, and that affording healthcare in the future is a top consumer concern.1 Using data from the same survey, this data brief explores how confidently Michigan residents can navigate…

Michigan Residents Struggle to Afford High Healthcare Costs in Both Rural and Non-Rural Areas

A survey of over 920 Michigan adults, conducted from October 20, 2021 to December 16, 2021, found that people living in non-rural areas of Michigan experience slightly greater healthcare affordability burdens than people living in rural areas of the state. Roughly 6 in 10…

Michigan Survey Respondents Struggle to Afford High Health Care Costs; Worry about Affording Health Care in the Future; Express Bipartisan Support for Policy Solutions

Summary A survey of more than 1,300 Michigan adults, conducted from June 30 to July 29, 2025, found: Health care is expensive in the U.S., and Michigan is no exception. More than two in every three respondents (68%) reported experiencing at least one…

Michigan Survey Respondents Worry about High Drug Costs; Express Bipartisan Support for Policy Solutions

Summary A survey of more than 1350 Michigan adults, conducted from June 30 to July 29, 2025, found: Prescription drug prices in the United States are nearly 2.8 times higher than the prices in other OECD countries, like Canada, Japan, and France.

Altarum in Action

Rhode Island Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner cites CHESS survey in letter to State House Committee on Health and Human Services about HB072 related to reimbursement rates and repealing affordability standards. Read more

Washington State Senator Patty Murray’s office cites the WA CHESS survey in press release about Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing where Senator Murray questioned CEOs of major pharmaceutical companies about the high prices charged to Americans for their prescription drugs. Read more