On Labor Day weekend, as many Americans took a well-deserved break, a sobering reality about healthcare in the United States came into sharp focus. In Raleigh, North Carolina, Senator Mark Kelly—retired astronaut and current Democratic U.S. Senator from Arizona—stood before a crowd of veterans and advocates at a Veterans Town Hall. The timing was no accident. With North Carolina’s veteran population swelling and concerns about healthcare access mounting, Kelly aimed to shine a spotlight on what he called a worsening crisis.
“Across the country, it is much worse than it was a year ago,” Kelly said, according to local reports. “Because the actions this administration has taken, firing employees of the veteran’s administration, the VA healthcare system, it just hurts veterans. It makes it harder for them to get appointments, to get seen [and] they get sicker.” The senator’s words echoed the frustrations of many in the room, some of whom had waited months for basic appointments or struggled to navigate a system that seemed increasingly out of reach.
Kelly’s visit, joined by North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson, was not just a political stop. It was a call to action, highlighting the intersection of national policy and everyday struggles—especially for those who have served. The senator’s critique of recent administrative decisions, particularly the firing of VA employees, underscored a broader issue: when access to care is restricted, it’s often the most vulnerable who suffer most.
But the problem isn’t limited to veterans. A new survey from Tebra, released on September 1, 2025, paints a stark picture of healthcare access for the broader American public. According to the survey, 18 percent of U.S. adults admit they’re “playing healthcare roulette”—delaying care and hoping nothing serious happens. The reasons? For most, it’s not indifference or carelessness. It’s simple economics.
Groceries, rent, and other essentials are now at the top of many Americans’ priority lists. Healthcare, once considered a non-negotiable, is increasingly seen as a luxury. For Gen Z—the youngest adult generation—the numbers are even more alarming. A staggering 68 percent reported skipping or putting off healthcare in the past year. This isn’t just about avoiding a cold or skipping a dental cleaning. It includes routine checkups, OB-GYN visits, and treatment for chronic health issues. One in four Gen Zers said outright that they couldn’t afford to go.
And it’s not just the youngest Americans feeling the pinch. The survey found that 61 percent of all respondents have rationed medication or tried to treat health issues themselves, all to avoid the unpredictable costs of seeing a specialist. Nearly half of healthcare providers reported an uptick in cancellations, no-shows, and fewer new patients in recent months—a trend that’s hard to ignore.
For many, the gamble is a calculated risk. Thirty percent of patients admitted they’re delaying care, hoping to make it to their next paycheck or the next insurance enrollment window. But the toll is more than physical. More than a third said that putting off care made their anxiety worse. Women, in particular, reported feeling trapped—caught in a system that, as some put it, was never designed for them in the first place. Gen Z was also more likely than older generations to say the experience left them feeling hopeless.
Senator Kelly’s remarks in Raleigh resonated with these broader findings. When he spoke about veterans struggling to get appointments and getting sicker as a result, he was describing a microcosm of a national issue. The administrative decisions at the VA—specifically, the firing of employees—have made it harder for veterans to access care. But in the civilian world, the barriers are often financial. High co-pays, steep deductibles, and a lack of price transparency leave many Americans crossing their fingers, hoping they don’t get sick before their next paycheck.
“It feels like insurance is a joke, even if you do have it,” one survey respondent told Tebra. The sentiment is widespread. According to the study, most patients said they’d be more likely to follow through with care if providers simply told them what to expect upfront—especially when it comes to costs. Price transparency, flexible rescheduling, and simple digital tools made a big difference in building patient trust and willingness to seek care. Is that really too much to ask?
The consequences of these trends are hard to overstate. When people delay or skip care, minor issues can become major ones. Chronic conditions go unmanaged. Preventable illnesses become emergencies. And the stress—already high in a country where medical debt is a leading cause of bankruptcy—only grows. For many women and young adults, the sense of being “stuck” is palpable. They’re not ignoring their health; they’re making impossible choices between their well-being and basic survival.
Senator Kelly’s visit to Raleigh also had a political dimension. He was there to support former Governor Roy Cooper in his 2026 U.S. Senate run, underscoring the high stakes of health policy in upcoming elections. But the message from both the senator and the survey is clear: healthcare access is not just a political talking point. It’s a daily struggle for millions of Americans—veterans and civilians alike.
Nearly half of healthcare providers nationwide are seeing more cancellations, no-shows, and fewer new patients, according to the Tebra survey. This isn’t just a blip. It’s a sign of growing mistrust and frustration with a system that, for many, feels rigged against them. The numbers don’t lie: 18 percent of adults are openly gambling with their health, and 68 percent of Gen Z are opting out of care altogether when money gets tight.
What’s the solution? For starters, patients are asking for more transparency and flexibility. They want to know what they’re getting into before they walk through the door. They want to be able to reschedule without penalty if life gets in the way. And they want digital tools that make it easier—not harder—to access the care they need.
For veterans, the stakes are even higher. Administrative decisions at the VA have real, sometimes life-or-death consequences. As Senator Kelly put it, “It just hurts veterans. It makes it harder for them to get appointments, to get seen [and] they get sicker.” It’s a warning that extends far beyond the walls of any one hospital or clinic.
As Labor Day weekend draws to a close, the message is clear: Americans are not ignoring their health. They’re being forced to choose between it and everything else. And for nearly one in five, that means gambling their well-being on a system in dire need of repair. The question now is whether policymakers—and the public—are ready to demand the changes that millions so desperately need.
