Uninsured

New and noteworthy

Quote from KFF President and CEO Drew Altman reads, "when it comes to the “affordability crisis” driving the national discussion of health care today, the chronically ill, and most of all the chronically ill uninsured, are the tip of the spear."

The Group that Struggles the Most in American Health Care

In a new column, Dr. Drew Altman, KFF’s Founding President and CEO, previews findings about the chronically ill uninsured from a large KFF survey of 25,000 Americans focusing on the cost and access challenges facing the chronically ill, which will be released tomorrow. He writes: “There are more than enough needs to go around in American health care, but if I had to pick the one group that struggles the most with costs and access, it would be people with chronic illnesses who are also uninsured.”

Other “Beyond the Data” columns >>

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.

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.

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

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  • Post-Election Survey of Voters’ 1997 Health Care Agenda

    Poll Finding

    Post-Election Survey of Voters' 1997 Health Care Agenda A nationally representative sample of 1000 voters, conducted immediately after the 1996 election, examines voters' priorities for the new Congress. Balancing the budget, cutting taxes and spending on public education top the list of voters priorities. The survey also looks at public support for regulating managed care, expanding health insurance coverage, Medicare spending, and the welfare reform law passed last year. Topline Download

  • Protection in Managed Care Plans: A Side-by-Side Comparison of Proposal Federal Legislation – Report

    Report

    Side-By-Side Comparison Of Proposed Federal Legislation For Consumer Protection In Managed Care Plans Nicole Tapay, Karen Pollitz, Jalena Curtis Institute for Health Care Research and Policy Georgetown University Medical Center July 18, 1997 Issue Summary Over the past decade, an increasing number of Americans have been receiving their health care coverage through HMOs, PPOs and other types of managed care entities. The growing influence of managed care, in turn, has led consumers and state and…

  • Profile of the Low-Income Uninsured

    Issue Brief

    This policy brief provides an overview of the low-income, uninsured population. Based on an analysis of the March 1998 Current Population Survey, the report discusses the demographic characteristics of this vulnerable population. It also presents information detailing health insurance coverage for low-income children and adults, as well as trends in insurance coverage over the past decade. It concludes with a discussion of recent coverage expansions and policy changes that have affected low-income Americans. The policy…

  • Medicaid Enrollment in 21 States: June 1997 – June 1999

    Report

    This report, Medicaid Enrollment in 21 States: June 1997 -June 1999, prepared by Health Management Associates, includes enrollment data obtained directly from state Medicaid and CHIP programs. Findings show that across the 21 states, which represent 73% of total Medicaid enrollment, enrollment fell from 23.2 million in June 1997 to 22.6 million in June 1998, but turned upward in June 1999 to 22.9 million. State-by-state data is included for: Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Ilinois, Indiana,…

  • New Numbers on Enrollment of Uninsured Children

    Report

    This report reveals that the total number of children enrolled in state CHIP programs had grown to 1.8 million by December 1999, a 112% increase from December 1998. Although enrollment doubled in 20 states during that year, growth did begin to moderate in several states that had implemented their programs relatively earlier on. The report also demonstrates that enrollment of new children continued at roughly the same pace during the second half of 1999 as…

  • Health News Index – January/February 2000

    Poll Finding

    Health News Index January/February, 2000The January/February 2000 edition of the Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health, Health News Index includes questions about major health stories covered in the news, including questions about the presidential candidate's health care proposals and their stands on abortion as well as a report on the declining rate of abortion. The survey is based on a national random sample of 1,006 Americans conducted February 4-8, 2000 which measures public knowledge…

  • Making It Simple: Medicaid for Children and CHIP Income Eligibility Guidelines and Enrollment Procedures

    Report

    This is a study of the enrollment process in children's Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in the 50 states and Washington, DC. Prepared by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the study is comprised of a nationwide telephone survey of state officials, a review of state CHIP plans, and interviews with state child health advocates. The focus of the study is on income eligibility guidelines, simplification of applications, enrollment and redetermination…

  • The Public, Managed Care and Consumer Protection

    Other Post

    The Kaiser Public Opinion Update -Revised, 2000 This new and revised Public Opinion Update summarizes key findings from surveys conducted between 1997 and 2000, a period in which the intensity of public debate and media attention paid to managed care issues varied substantially. Trends used in this Public Opinion Update are from the following Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard University, School of Public Health Surveys: September, 1997: Survey of Americans' Views on Managed Care (11/97, #1328); December,…

  • National Election Night Survey of Voters, 1994

    Poll Finding

    Among Issues, Voters See Health Reform As Top Priority for New Congress But Reject Major Overhaul of System For More Modest Approach Embargoed for release: 12:00 p.m. EST Tuesday, November 15, 1994 For further information contact: Matt James or Tina Hoff National Election Night Survey Also Finds: Voters Support Spending Cuts to Reduce Deficit in Theory, But Not in Practice When Specific Budget Areas Are Proposed Menlo Park, CA -- A Kaiser/Harvard election night survey…

  • Medicare Beneficiaries: A Population At Risk – Findings from the Kaiser/Commonwealth 1997 Survey of Medicare Beneficiaries

    Report

    Medicare Beneficiaries: A Population At Risk - Findings from the Kaiser/Commonwealth 1997 Survey of Medicare Beneficiaries This report by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and the Commonwealth Fund, based on the Kaiser/Commonwealth 1997 Survey of Medicare Beneficiaries, highlights the challenges facing Medicare beneficiaries and the importance of addressing the needs of low-income and other high-risk segments of the Medicare population. Report