States Stepping Up: How Policymakers Across the Country Are Fighting the Health Care Affordability Crisis

2025 Wrap Up of State Legislative Action on Affordability

Health care spending continues to climb, putting increased pressure on family budgets as people face soaring out-of-pocket costs and rising premiums. This affordability crisis was a driving factor in state health policy during 2025 legislative sessions, as states tried to balance budget shortfalls within a tenuous health care landscape.

As legislative sessions draw to a close in many states, one thing is clear: state leaders are stepping up to strengthen health care protections where federal policies may fall short, are nebulous, or are under attack. Our analysis of the 2025 legislative session reveals three state policy trends to address the health care affordability crisis: 

1. States Took Action to Lower Hospital Prices and Address Hospital Consolidation
2. States Advanced Health Care Consumer Protections
3. States Preserved Access to Health Care Coverage

In the face of federal changes, these trends reflect the transformative powers that state policy solutions can offer to address what people want and need from the health care system: accessible, affordable, and dependable coverage and care. Despite this, major uncertainties for states are on the horizon due to federal activity. Informed by these insights, we provide a glimpse into how the rapidly shifting health care landscape may impact state legislatures in 2026.