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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 >>

Data and analysis

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.

State Health Facts: Health Coverage & the Uninsured

Get data on health insurance status for the population overall and broken down by age, gender, and income. More than 800 up-to-date health indicators at the state level can be mapped, ranked, and downloaded through State Health Facts.

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 tax credits that would make ACA coverage affordable to them.

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.

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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  • Connecting the Justice-Involved Population to Medicaid Coverage and Care: Findings from Three States

    Issue Brief

    This brief provides an overview of initiatives to connect the justice-involved population to Medicaid coverage and care in the community in three states—Arizona, Connecticut, and Massachusetts—based on interviews with key stakeholders. These states are leading efforts in these areas and provide key lessons about how to coordinate across health care and corrections and the potential of such initiatives to better link individuals to the physical and behavioral services they need. Each of the case study…

  • 2016 Survey of Health Insurance Marketplace Assister Programs and Brokers

    Report

    In its third year, the survey tracks the experiences of assistance programs signing people up for Affordable Care Act coverage during open enrollment and, for consumers who qualify, during special enrollment periods. This year, for the second time, the survey includes health insurance brokers who helped people apply for non-group coverage in an ACA marketplace.

  • Health Centers in Puerto Rico: Operational Status after Hurricane Maria

    Fact Sheet

    In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico's health centers, a critical part of the island's health care system are working to rebuild; however, recovery remains slow and plagued by many challenges. This interactive map provides a snapshot of the operational status of the 93 health center sites in Puerto Rico.

  • ANALYSIS: More than Half of Uninsured People Eligible for Marketplace Insurance Could Pay Less for Health Plan than Individual Mandate Penalty

    News Release

    A new Kaiser Family Foundation analysis finds that more than half (54% or 5.9 million) of the 10.7 million people who are uninsured and eligible to purchase an Affordable Care Act marketplace plan in 2018 could pay less in premiums for health insurance than they would owe as an individual mandate tax penalty for lacking coverage.

  • Getting Behind the Numbers on Access to Care

    Other Post

    The Debate About The Uninsured: How serious are their problems? Embargoed for release until: 9:30 AM, EDT, Tuesday, October 22, 1996 For further information contact: Matt James or Tina Hoff First National Study Asking People To Describe Health Care Experiences In Own Words: 46 Percent of Uninsured Adults Experienced "Serious" Consequences As a Result of Problems Getting and/or Paying for Health Care Study Published in This Week's JAMA Washington, D.C. -- Whenever health care is…

  • In Their Own Words: Family Profiles

    Other Post

    In Their Own Words: Family Profiles As the U.S. Congress and state legislatures explore policies to cover the uninsured, the Commission has profiled four families with uninsured members, including their family budgets, to better understand how specific policy ideas will practically affect typical uninsured Americans. Family Profiles Read the full report, "In Their Own Words: The Uninsured Talk About Living Without Health Insurance"

  • First Glance at the Children’s Health Initiative in Santa Clara County, California

    Report

    A new background report examines Santa Clara County in California in its effort to provide health insurance coverage (Children's Health Initiative or CHI) to all children living in the county. As one of the first localities to attempt such an initiative, its experiences can highlight important lessons and potential best practices for policymakers at the county, state, and national level considering coverage expansions for children. Also see Lessons from the Field: Increasing Enrollment in Children's…

  • Uninsured Children in the South

    Fact Sheet

      Over 4 million children living in the South have no health insurance coverage. While the South experienced a decrease (3 percent) in the number of uninsured children from 1989 to 1993 -- the number of uninsured children nationally increased by 9 percent (Figure 1) -- the region accounts for a dispro-portionately high share of uninsured children in America. Over a third (36 percent) of American children live in the South, but the region accounted…