Affordability Isn't Just a Barrier, It's the Signal We Keep Ignoring

By JJ Ayala, Executive Director, Team Percepto

At Team Percepto, we believe that primary research is one of the most powerful tools we have to understand real needs and spark meaningful action. Every article we write starts with data we collect directly from the people who live the realities we're trying to change.

This work would not be possible without the support of partners like Be Social Productions, whose collaboration helps ensure these conversations are not only heard, but amplified where they matter most.

This is the third piece in our ongoing series on community health and wellness. In our first article, we looked at how mental health priorities shift across income lines. In our second, we explored the digital divide in access to prescription savings. This one focuses on the most urgent signal cutting across every demographic, every behavior, every limitation we observed: affordability.

The Signal: Affordability Is the Real Common Denominator

In our Southern California survey, affordability was the most frequently cited health concern, with 22% of respondents naming it their top issue. That's more than chronic illness, more than mental health, and more than access to services.

It wasn't just a checkbox on a form. Affordability showed up again and again in how people responded to every question:

• Lower-income respondents are significantly less likely to use any prescription discount programs

• Government insurance is dominant, especially among females and older respondents

• Respondents express strong demand for support services, with affordability being a leading concern across the board

This isn't just background noise. Affordability is the signal, and we've been ignoring it.

The Gap: Why Programs Miss the Mark

Many well-meaning programs are designed with an assumption: that people will adopt them if we just explain how they work.

But our data shows the real gap isn't about understanding. It's about cost. People aren't confused. They're weighing the trade-offs.

They are asking themselves:

• Can I afford the copay?

• Will this take too much time off work?

• What happens if I get billed later?

When we focus on functionality like better apps, cleaner clinics, or smarter intake processes, we miss the economic pressure points that are keeping people out of care entirely.

This is the gap that keeps systems stuck. And this is the moment when the reader realizes: our best ideas aren't failing because they're bad. They're failing because they're unaffordable.

The Shift: What It Looks Like When We Lead With Affordability

What would it look like if affordability was the starting point for every healthcare strategy?

It means designing solutions with a financial safety net already in place. It means validating eligibility before we promote a program. It means asking: would someone without savings, sick leave, or insurance still show up for this?

When affordability comes first:

• Trust improves because people don't feel like they're being sold what they can't afford

• Participation increases because barriers are removed at the front end

• Health outcomes rise because access becomes consistent, not conditional

This is not about teaching people how to save money. It's about giving them a reason to believe healthcare is actually built for them.

The Call to Action: Stop Designing Around Affordability. Start Designing From It.

If there's one insight this data makes undeniable, it's this: Affordability isn't a budget line. It's a design principle.

So the next time we ask how to get people to engage with our programs, let's reframe the question.

Ask instead: what would this look like if affordability were the starting point, not the afterthought?

At Team Percepto, this is how we use data. Not just to describe what people experience, but to help leaders understand what needs to come next.

Because when affordability becomes the first thing we solve for, everything else becomes possible.

It's the Signal We Keep Ignoring

By Juan Jose (JJ) Ayala

Team Percepto, A Research Insights Company, June 2025