Who Struggles Most in American Health Care—and Why Aslan Health’s Work Matters
For millions of Americans, managing a chronic health condition is difficult enough. Managing one without health insurance can make routine medical care feel nearly impossible.
A recent article from KFF, “The Group That Struggles the Most in American Health Care,” identifies uninsured adults with chronic illnesses as the people facing some of the greatest barriers to care in the United States.
These are people living with conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, lung disease, kidney disease, or mental-health concerns—often more than one condition at the same time.
They are also the patients Aslan Health was created to serve.
What the KFF research found
The article draws on KFF’s 2026 Survey of Health Access and Caregiving, which surveyed more than 25,000 adults.
Among uninsured adults with multiple health conditions:
- 72% experienced difficulty paying for care or were unable to pay their medical bills during the previous year.
- 68% skipped medical care because of cost.
- 50% cut back on other household necessities because of medical bills.
- Uninsured adults with chronic illnesses relied on emergency rooms three times as often as insured adults with similar health needs.
These numbers represent more than a problem with medical bills. They reveal what happens when people cannot find an affordable place to receive regular care.
A patient may postpone a diabetes appointment because money is tight. Another may stretch a prescription, delay laboratory testing, or ignore worsening symptoms. A manageable condition can then become a medical emergency—not because treatment did not exist, but because affordable care was not available soon enough.
Chronic illness requires more than one appointment
Many chronic conditions cannot be addressed through a single visit. Patients may need regular blood-pressure checks, laboratory monitoring, medication adjustments, health coaching, and help understanding their treatment options.
Without an affordable source of primary care, patients are often forced to choose among medical care, groceries, housing, transportation, and other essential expenses. KFF’s findings show just how frequently uninsured patients are making those painful choices.
The emergency room can respond when a condition becomes urgent, but it is not designed to provide the consistent relationship and follow-up that good chronic-disease care requires. Patients need somewhere they can return before a problem becomes a crisis.
How Aslan Health helps close the gap
Aslan Health provides affordable, quality healthcare for people who are uninsured, underinsured, or simply struggling to navigate an expensive healthcare system. More than 80% of the patients we serve are uninsured.
All appointments are $75, allowing patients to know the visit price before they arrive. Through our laboratory, medication, imaging, and community partnerships, we also work to reduce the other costs that can prevent patients from following through with their care.
Our work includes:
- Primary care for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, kidney disease, and other ongoing health needs
- Affordable laboratory testing and transparent pricing
- Access to donated medications through our partnership with RoundtableRx
- Help locating lower-cost imaging, prescriptions, and specialty services
- Payment plans and a sliding-fee scale for qualifying patients who need additional assistance
- Health education and support that help patients take an active role in their care
We do not want a patient to wait until high blood pressure causes a stroke, uncontrolled diabetes results in hospitalization, or a concerning symptom becomes an advanced illness.
Affordable primary care gives people an opportunity to address problems earlier—and to continue receiving care after the immediate crisis has passed.
This need is likely to grow
KFF reports that approximately 27 million people in the United States are currently uninsured. It also projects that the number could rise into the low 40 millions as federal changes affecting Medicaid and Affordable Care Act coverage take effect, unless those changes are reversed.
For Aslan Health, this is not an abstract policy debate. It means more working families and neighbors may find themselves without affordable coverage while still needing medication, testing, and regular medical care.
Being uninsured does not make diabetes disappear. It does not lower someone’s blood pressure, refill a prescription, or eliminate the need for cancer screening. The loss of coverage may change how someone pays for care, but it does not change that person’s need for care.
Why this work matters
At Aslan Health, we believe every patient has God-given dignity. No one should be overlooked because of insurance status, income, language, or background.
Our mission is to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and demonstrate His love by providing affordable, quality healthcare for the physical, spiritual, and emotional needs of the underserved.
That mission becomes tangible each time someone receives care before a manageable illness becomes an emergency, finds an affordable medication, or discovers that someone is willing to listen and help.
The statistics in KFF’s report are sobering, but they also affirm the importance of practical, local solutions.
Aslan Health cannot repair every weakness in the American healthcare system. We can, however, care faithfully for the person who walks through our door.
For that patient, affordable and compassionate care can make all the difference.
Need an appointment?
Aslan Health is located at 1400 W. St. Germain Street in St. Cloud, across from the Great River Regional Library.
All appointments are $75. Additional charges may apply for laboratory tests, medications, imaging, or other services. Our staff will explain expected costs whenever possible.
To learn more or schedule an appointment, call 320-297-6800.
Source
Drew Altman, “The Group That Struggles the Most in American Health Care,” KFF, September 14, 2026. The article cites findings from the KFF Survey of Health Access and Caregiving conducted May 4–26, 2026.