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Uninsured

Data and analysis

The coverage gap exists because some states did not expand Medicaid under the ACA to cover adults under age 65 without dependent children with incomes at/below 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL)

How Many Uninsured Are in the Coverage Gap?

An estimated 1.4 million uninsured individuals in the 10 states without Medicaid expansion, including many working adults, people of color, and those with disabilities, remain in the "coverage gap," ineligible for Medicaid or for ACA tax credits that would make coverage affordable.

The Uninsured and Health Coverage

This Health Policy 101 chapter examines the share of the United States population who are uninsured, highlighting their demographics and the challenges they face because of the lack of coverage.

Key Facts on Health Coverage of Immigrants

This fact sheet provides an overview of health coverage for immigrants based on data from the 2023 KFF/LA Times Survey of Immigrants. As of 2023, half of likely undocumented immigrant adults and one in five lawfully present immigrant adults reported being uninsured.

New and noteworthy

Affordability Is the Issue Now, But Look for the Uninsured to Make a Comeback

A new column on the uninsured from President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman explains: “The uninsured is not the most politically salient problem in health care now, that’s affordability, nor is it the non-problem some say it is. But it’s coming back. And the problem of the chronically ill uninsured is glaring.” Read more.

Key Facts about the Uninsured Population

The number and share of people without insurance grew in 2024, increasing for the first time since 2019, according to KFF’s analysis of data from the American Community Survey (ACS). This issue brief describes trends in health coverage in 2024, examines the characteristics of the uninsured population , and summarizes the access and financial implications of not having coverage.

More on the uninsured population >>

Who was uninsured in 2024?

Latest Polling
9.8%

The share of people under age 65 without insurance
62%

The share of uninsured adults who said they were uninsured because coverage is not affordable
59%

The share of uninsured adults who said they or someone living with them had problems paying for health care
39%

The share of uninsured adults who reported delaying or not getting needed care or medication due to cost
Other key facts about the uninsured >>

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  • Legislative Summary: State Children’s Health Insurance Program – Fact Sheet

    Fact Sheet

    State Children's Health Insurance Program Summary November 1997 Nearly 10 million children are uninsured, often resulting in difficulties in obtaining needed health care. To expand coverage to low-income uninsured children, Congress enacted the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) as part of the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997 (P.L. 105-33). This new program allocates $20.3 billion in federal matching funds over five years to states to expand insurance for children. States can use the…

  • Working Families at Risk: Coverage, Access, Cost and Worries

    Other Post

    Many Working Families Struggle To Get Needed Care And Pay Medical Bills Three-Quarters of the Currently or Recently Uninsured Are in Working Families Nearly Half of Uninsured Adults in Working Families Have Access or Bill Problems Embargoed for release until: 10:00 a.m., EST, Monday, December 8, 1997 For further Information contact: Chris Ferris (202)347-5270 or Mary Mahon (212)606-3853 Washington, D.C.-- Three in four American adults who do not have health insurance or who have experienced…

  • Uninsured in America: A Chart Book, May 2000

    Report

    This chart book provides a comprehensive portrayal of information related to the uninsured, including trends and major shifts in coverage, a profile of the uninsured, an assessment of why so many Americans are uninsured, and data documenting the difference that health insurance makes in the lives of Americans. The chart book includes detailed tables with data broken down by demographics and by state. Chartbook Fact Sheet: The Uninsured and Their Access to Health Care

  • The New Child Health Insurance Program: A Carefully Crafted Compromise

    Report

    This paper explores the major policy compromises embodied in the CHIP program. It focuses on two areas: the relative control of the federal and state governments over the program, and the design of the program in relation to the private, employer-based health insurance market.This paper is part of the Kaiser Incremental Health Reform Project. Issue Brief (.pdf)

  • Public Health in a Changing Health Care System: Linkages Between Public Health and MCOs In the Treatment and Prevention of STDs

    Report

    Public health agencies and managed care organizations share responsibility for the health of the populations they serve. Their relationships are particularly important in the area of STDs. This study analyzes the evolving relationships between managed care organizations and public health agencies in how they manage the prevention, treatment, and tracking of STDs. Report

  • Expansions in Public Health Insurance and Crowd-Out: What the Evidence Says

    Report

    Enactment of the Children's Health Insurance Program has been accompanied by concerns that new coverage will "crowd out" private health insurance coverage. Part of the Kaiser Incremental Health Reform Project, this paper reviews existing empirical literature on the magnitude of crowd-out and discusses implications for CHIP. Issue Paper

  • Managed Care and Low-Income Populations: Four Years’ Experience with the Oregon Health Plan

    Report

    This report updates an earlier study of Oregon's experience with restructuring their Medicaid programs. It is one of a series of reports from The Kaiser/Commonwealth Low-Income Coverage and Access Project. This project examines how changes in the Medicaid Program have affected health insurance coverage and access to care for the low-income population in eight states: Maryland, California, Florida, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas. Report

  • Issues in the 2000 Election:  Health Care

    Poll Finding

    Issues in the 2000 Election: Health Care The Washington Post/Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard University national survey on "Issues in the 2000 Election: Health Care" is the second in a series of surveys examining policy issues in the 2000 national elections. This survey, conducted July 5-18, 2000, of a nationally representative sample of registered voters also included an oversample of "health care or Medicare-oriented" registered voters. This survey and all surveys in this series, are…

  • Subsidizing COBRA: An Option for Expanding Health Insurance Coverage

    Report

    This paper examines a method for making health insurance more affordable to people who may lose health insurance when they lose or change jobs. A proposal for subsidizing the purchase of group health insurance through COBRA for employees and their dependents who lose their health insurance coverage when the employee leaves a job that provides such coverage. This paper is part of the Kaise Incremental Health Reform Project. Issue Paper