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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.

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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  • Who are the Uninsured?  A Consistent Profile Across National Surveys

    Issue Brief

    Who are the Uninsured? A Consistent Profile Across National Surveys This issue brief examines the differences in the estimates of the uninsured population from three major surveys and finds that the estimates are actually more consistent than what is often perceived. In addition, the analysis shows that who the uninsured are does not vary much across national surveys. Issue Brief

  • Health Coverage for Low-Income Parents

    Fact Sheet

    The fact sheet summarizes the health coverage of low-income parents, including recent trends, and discusses the current policy challenges related to expanding care for this population. Fact Sheet (.pdf)

  • The Affordable Choices Initiative: An Overview

    Fact Sheet

    The President's Affordable Choices initiative would permit states to redirect funds paid to hospitals and other health care institutions to initiatives that would provide the uninsured with private insurance. This fact sheet provides an overview of the fiscal year 2008 budget initiative. Fact Sheet (.pdf)

  • Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Care for Low-Income Non-Citizen Children

    Issue Brief

    Largely due to a high uninsured rate, low-income, non-citizen children have very poor access to care, with many lacking a regular provider and going without preventive care. This brief examines health coverage and access to care for low-income, non-citizen children to provide insight into the challenges they face in obtaining health insurance and accessing care. Issue Brief (.pdf)

  • Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: Election 2008 — June 2007

    Poll Finding

    This June tracking poll finds that health care remains the top domestic issue that the public wants presidential candidates to address, trailing only Iraq on the public’s overall priority list. Iraq ranks first among Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike. Health care ranks second among Democrats and Independents, while Republicans rank immigration second and health care third.  Immigration rose sharply as an issue in the new poll, which was taken as media attention focused on the…

  • New Reports and Briefing Focus on Dental Health Coverage and Access

    Fact Sheet

    More than 100 million Americans have no insurance to help cover dental needs. With health reform discussions ongoing, the Foundation's Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured (KCMU) cosponsored a briefing which examined oral health in the broader conversation of improving quality and expanding access. Three new reports from KCMU were released at the event. Access to Affordable Dental Care: Gaps for Low-Income Adults Filling an Urgent Need: Improving Children’s Access to Dental Care in…

  • Challenges of Providing Health Coverage for Children and Parents in a Recession: A 50 State Update on Eligibility Rules, Enrollment and Renewal Procedures, and Cost-Sharing Practices in Medicaid and SCHIP in 2009

    Report

    Overall, more than one-third of the states (19 states) took steps last year to increase access to health coverage for low-income children, pregnant women and parents –- including 15 states that authorized or implemented coverage expansions. At the same time, 10 states enacted at least one measure to restrict access. The report also examines trends in parental coverage and state outreach efforts, including the use of technology to facilitate enrollment. Full Report (.pdf) Data Tables…

  • CHIP TIPS: Medicaid Performance Bonus

    Issue Brief

    This brief, the first in a series, examines the new federal "performance bonus" available to states that do an especially good job of signing up eligible children for Medicaid. The bonus, created by a provision in the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009, is designed to help states cover the added costs that result when states are very successful in enrolling eligible children in Medicaid above target levels specified in the law. It…

  • CHIP TIPS: Citizenship Documentation Changes

    Issue Brief

    This brief, the third in a series, examines changes to citizenship documentation requirements under the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009. The law extends the requirement to document citizenship that applied in Medicaid to CHIP as well. At the same time, it modifies current requirements to reduce the paperwork burden on families and states and helps ensure that eligible children and others are enrolled and receive needed health care without delay. Brief (.pdf)

  • Expanding Medicaid to Low-Income Childless Adults Under Health Reform: Key Lessons From State Experiences

    Issue Brief

    The health reform law will expand Medicaid to millions of low-income adults, including many childless adults who have historically been ineligible for the program, necessitating one of the largest enrollment efforts in the program's history. This report, based on interviews with officials in seven states and the District of Columbia and national experts, examines lessons learned from past state experience covering childless adults through waiver and state-funded programs and profiles the programs included in the…