More than 2,700 adults with at least one chronic condition—over half with multiple conditions—shared their experiences in the 2025 State of Patient Access survey. Their ratings in five categories reveal the strengths and weaknesses of the health care system for people managing chronic illness
Source: Pan Foundation
Overall Access to Care : C+ (78.9)
- Quality & coverage: 85% rated their care in the past year as good or excellent (up from 83% in 2024).
- Coverage concerns: More insured patients say coverage worsened (16% vs. 13% in 2024).
- Barriers: 49% faced at least one logistical hurdle, most often trouble getting an appointment (18%).
- Help needed: 54% want help accessing care, including learning about their condition (17%) and scheduling visits (17%).
- Equity gaps: 38% say aspects of their identity (e.g., income, insurance type, age) negatively affected care.
- Standouts: White and Asian patients saw slight score gains, but subgroups such as white LGBTQIA+ (67.2), Black Millennials (73.2), and Hispanic Gen Z (65.4) scored notably lower.
Relationship with Health Care Professionals: B (84.3)
- Generally strong trust and communication scores.
- Relationship quality is a relative bright spot compared with systemic access issues.
Affordability of Prescription Medications : B- (80.8)
- Above-average ratings, but 15% report financial strain paying for prescriptions.
- Cost barriers more common for lower-income and uninsured patients.
Access to Treatment Through Health Care Plans : D- (63.1)
- Lowest score overall, reflecting patient concerns about health plan restrictions on medications, financial strain from deductibles, confusion about plan details, and fears that access to care may worsen in the future.
- Patients on Medicare rated access higher (82.9) than uninsured respondents (61.7).
Financial Toxicity : D+ (68.8)
- Nearly one in four say financial toxicity affects them a lot or a great deal.
- Income and insurance type are the most frequently cited barriers to equitable care.