Rising Healthcare Costs May Change How Patients Use Clinical Lab Testing

Rising Healthcare Costs May Change How Patients Use Clinical Lab Testing in 2026

Healthcare affordability has overtaken food, housing, and transportation as the top economic worry for U.S. households, and that shift has meaningful implications for how patients engage with clinical laboratory testing in 2026 and beyond.

According to the latest Health Tracking Poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), 66% of Americans say they worry about being able to afford health care, ranking higher than utilities, food and groceries, housing, and gas.

Health Care Costs Are the Top Household Expense the Public Worries About

In addition, 56% of respondents expect healthcare to become less affordable in the coming year, and 32% say they are “very worried” about their ability to afford healthcare. That level of financial anxiety is no longer abstract; it is influencing real decisions about when, where, and whether patients access care.

For clinical laboratories, the signal is clear: patient cost sensitivity is rising, and diagnostic test utilization patterns may shift, directly affecting test volume, revenue predictability, and patient engagement strategies.

Two Possible Patient Responses to Rising Costs

The KFF data suggests patients may respond to cost pressure in one of two ways, both of which matter for labs.

1. Deferred or Forgone Testing

When healthcare feels unaffordable, patients may delay or skip care they perceive as non-urgent or non-essential. The poll found that one in five respondents (20%) say their healthcare costs have risen faster than everyday essentials like groceries or utilities. That perception alone can discourage patients from completing preventive screenings or following through on physician-ordered laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures, even when clinically recommended.

For labs, this could translate into:

• Lower testing, screening, and/or diagnostic procedure volumes
• Gaps in longitudinal testing
• Downstream impacts on population health programs tied to early detection

Deferred testing doesn’t always mean “never,” but it often means later, sicker, and more expensive, changing both utilization timing and reimbursement dynamics.

2. More Aggressive Price Shopping for Diagnostic Testing

Not all cost-conscious patients will walk away from care. Many will become more selective, price-sensitive consumers. Instead of skipping testing entirely, they may compare:

• Out-of-pocket cost estimates
• Network status and billing practices
• Turnaround time and service experience

This behavior underscores the importance of price transparency in laboratory services and patient-facing communication, including accurate patient financial responsibility estimates at the point of scheduling. Labs that cannot clearly explain expected patient responsibility risk losing volume to competitors that can.

Insurance Coverage Uncertainty Adds Financial Friction

Cost anxiety is being compounded by changes in insurance affordability. With enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits expiring, many marketplace enrollees are expected to see higher premiums, reducing discretionary income available for healthcare services, including lab testing and diagnostic procedures.

From an operational standpoint, diagnostic providers may experience:

• Increased self-pay balances
• More questions at pre-test or check-in
• Greater sensitivity to unexpected bills

Even insured patients may behave like self-pay patients since deductibles have reset or coverage terms may have changed.

What This Means for Clinical Laboratories and Other Diagnostic Providers in 2026

Taken together, the KFF findings point to uneven and less predictable utilization patterns:

• Some patients may fall out of the diagnostic services pipeline entirely
• Others may arrive highly informed, cost-aware, and selective

In this environment, providers that focus solely on throughput and backend reimbursement may struggle. Those that prioritize clarity, communication, and value articulation are better positioned to sustain trust and volume.

Key areas of focus include:

• Accurate, patient-specific cost estimates before testing or diagnostic procedures
• Clear explanations of clinical relevance and necessity
• Transparent billing workflows that reduce surprise and confusion

Healthcare affordability may be driving patient anxiety—but for providers, it also serves as an early warning. Utilization is being reshaped, not eliminated. Labs that adapt to how patients now think about cost will be better prepared for the realities of 2026 and beyond.