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 >>

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

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  • 2003 Health Insurance Survey – Summary and Chartpack

    Report

    The 2003 Kaiser Family Foundation Health Insurance Survey examines the public's level of satisfaction with their insurance coverage, their expectations of health insurance, the role of costs and other factors in health insurance decision-making, and attitudes toward employer-sponsored coverage. It also explores people's opinions about several alternative health insurance plans that are currently under consideration and explores how they might respond to these new options. Summary and Chartpack (.pdf)

  • 2003 Health Insurance Survey – Toplines

    Poll Finding

    The 2003 Kaiser Family Foundation Health Insurance Survey examines the public's level of satisfaction with their insurance coverage, their expectations of health insurance, the role of costs and other factors in health insurance decision-making, and attitudes toward employer-sponsored coverage. It also explores people's opinions about several alternative health insurance plans that are currently under consideration and explores how they might respond to these new options. Survey Toplines (.pdf)

  • The Impact of Cost Sharing on Appropriate Utilization and Health Status: A Review of the Literature on Seniors

    Other Post

    The Impact of Cost-Sharing on Appropriate Utilization and Health Status: A Review of the Literature on Seniors This article provides a review of research that has addressed the impact of patient cost-sharing on the use of health care services and subsequent health status for those ages 65 and older. Twenty-two studies are reviewed -- 16 focusing on cost-sharing for prescription drugs and 6 on cost-sharing for medical services. The article concludes that most studies examined…

  • Uninsured and Their Access to Health Care, 2005

    Fact Sheet

    The Uninsured and Their Access to Health Care This fact sheet describes the characteristics of the uninsured population, the difference health insurance makes, and why there is a large uninsured population. Fact Sheet (.pdf)

  • Health Coverage in America, 2004 Data Update

    Report

    This chartbook provides 2004 data on health insurance coverage, with special attention to the uninsured. It includes trends and major shifts in coverage and a profile of the uninsured population. Report (.pdf)

  • What Happened to the Insurance Coverage of Children and Adults in 2006?

    Issue Brief

    A new, detailed analysis of the latest US Census Bureau data on health insurance coverage looks behind the 2.2 million increase in the number of uninsured, examining changes by age and income. Reversing years of steady declines, the number of uninsured children has grown by one million over the last two years. And, as debate continues on reauthorization of SCHIP, the analysis shows that 48 percent of the increase in uninsured children from 2005 to…

  • The Role of Medicare and Beneficiaries in the Deficit-Reduction Debate

    Event Date:
    Event

    This Kaiser Family Foundation briefing examined how Medicare reform options now under consideration might work and their implications for beneficiaries and taxpayers. As context for understanding the potential effects of reforms, the briefing looked at the current and projected income and assets of people on Medicare, out-of pocket health care spending and the ability of Medicare beneficiaries to absorb rising costs. The Foundation also released a new report and video profiling Medicare families and the…

  • Controlling Health Insurance Premiums: Perspectives from the States, the Federal Government and Industry

    Event Date:
    Event

    The Affordable Care Act creates a process for states and the Department of Health and Human Services to review “unreasonable” premium increases and provide information to consumers about the process. The rules governing this rate review process went into effect September 1, 2011. This briefing by the Kaiser Family Foundation, held on September 22, 2011, addressed how these new rules might work and what the implications may be for the growth in health insurance premiums…