Majority of Americans rate healthcare lackluster: Gallup

More than half of Americans have rated the quality of US healthcare as substandard for the first time, according to a Gallup poll released in January.

A 52 percent majority of US adults believe US healthcare is subpar, including 31 percent calling it "only fair" and 21 percent - a new high - saying it is "poor". That compares to 48 percent who rated it ''excellent'' or ''good''.

Although the excellent/good score is just two percentage points lower than 2021, it is well below the 62 percent high twice recorded in the early 2010s. It also trails the average 55 percent reading since 2001.

The latest findings, from Gallup's annual Health and Healthcare poll conducted from Nov 9 to Dec 2, show a downward trend in healthcare quality satisfaction.

Earlier, another Gallup poll found a record number of Americans postponed getting medical care due to high costs in 2022.

In the survey, 38 percent reported they or a family member had delayed seeking medical treatment because of the high bills they would face. It is the highest such response in the 22 years the polling company has been tracking the trend.