Verasight poll finds Americans worried about cancer care costs and open to health tech

By AI, Created 3:36 PM UTC, May 28, 2026, /AGP/ – A new Verasight poll of 2,000 U.S. adults found widespread concern about cancer care costs, strong interest in preventive tools and growing comfort with AI for emotional support. The results point to a public that wants more health options but remains wary of how much technology belongs in daily care.

Why it matters: - The poll suggests Americans are navigating health care as both a personal responsibility and a financial risk. - The findings point to rising openness to tools that promise earlier detection, easier access and new forms of support. - The results also show limits. Americans are not embracing every health technology equally.

What happened: - Verasight conducted a national poll of 2,000 U.S. adults from May 1–4, 2026. - The survey used questions submitted by attendees of the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine. - 73% of respondents said they would be very or extremely concerned about the financial impact of cancer care costs on their household. - 53% said personal behaviors such as diet, exercise, sleep and stress management are the single biggest driver of overall health. - 81% said they would be likely to act on results from a noninvasive multi-cancer early detection test. - 18% said they have used a GLP-1 medication within the past 12 months. - 17% said they have disclosed mental health concerns to an AI tool such as ChatGPT. - 70% said they feel at least somewhat stressed on most days.

The details: - Of the 70% who reported daily stress, 40% described most days as a bit stressful, 20% as quite a bit stressful and 10% as extremely stressful. - More than 9 in 10 respondents said spending time in nature positively affects their wellbeing. - A majority said lifestyle behaviors matter more than genetics or health care access for long-term health outcomes. - Respondents showed openness to cancer detection tools and GLP-1 medications. - Respondents were more hesitant about continuous digital health monitoring. - Respondents also showed caution about paying for AI-powered nutrition tracking. - The survey margin of sampling error was plus or minus 3.2% for Module A and plus or minus 3.3% for Module B. - The full report is available here.

Between the lines: - The poll suggests consumers are separating useful health technology from intrusive technology. - Americans appear willing to adopt tools tied to concrete benefits, especially prevention and convenience. - Cost anxiety remains a major barrier in the background, even as interest grows in newer care models. - Verasight CEO and Co-Founder Ben Leff said Americans are facing a rapidly changing health care environment and are willing to adopt new medications and technologies they believe could help them manage physical and mental health.

What’s next: - The findings may help shape how health systems, researchers and technology companies message new screening, weight-management and mental health products. - The survey results could also influence future behavioral health research tied to the Society of Behavioral Medicine meeting. - Verasight’s polling infrastructure already supports academic research, government studies and national media coverage.