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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
Other key facts about the uninsured >>

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341-350 of 1,312 results

  • Kaiser /Harvard Survey of Americans on Health Policy

    Poll Finding

    A telephone survey of 1,011 adults (between June 20 and July 9, 1996) about how health care reform (specifically Medicare reform, MSAs and the Kassebaum/Kennedy bill) fits into the upcoming November election. The survey was designed by the Kaiser Family Foundation, Harvard University, and Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA). The survey was conducted by PSRA. The The margin of error was plus or minus 3 percent. The survey data was released at a press briefing…

  • Impact of Potential Changes to ERISA: Litigation and Appeals Experience of CalPERS, Other Large Public Employers and a Large California Health Plan

    Report

    The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) currently preempts state law related to the wrongful denial or delay of health benefits to the extent that such laws relate to a health benefit plan sponsored by a private employer. This report examines the frequency, nature and costs associated with the appeals and litigation that state and local governmental employers have experienced. Information was gathered through multiple telephone interviews with individuals with extensive involvement in administrative appeals…

  • Survey of Physicians and Nurses

    Poll Finding

    A national random survey of 1053 doctors and 768 nurses on their experiences with and attitudes towards health plans. The survey provides quantitative information from doctors and nurses about their non-elderly patients, as well as verbatim descriptions of patient experiences with health plan decisions, including doctors' judgments on the consequences health plan denials have on their patients' health. Chart Pack: - Chart Pack Report: - Summary of Findings Topline/Survey: - Toplines Report: - Verbatim Book

  • Getting the Most Bang for Our Health Reform Buck: Enrolling and Retaining Everyone Who’s Eligible

    Event Date:
    Event

    As Congress looks for ways to increase access to health care, existing programs such as Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program are often overlooked. Yet enrolling those who are eligible for such programs is one of the easiest ways to expand coverage. This briefing, co-sponsored by Alliance for Health Reform and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), looked at ways to streamline recruitment and enrollment, while exploring how expanding Medicaid and CHIP…

  • Health Care Use and Chronic Conditions Among Childless Adult Medicaid Enrollees in Arizona

    Issue Brief

    Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), beginning in 2014, Medicaid eligibility will expand to 133% of the federal poverty level for nearly all individuals. Arizona is one of the few states that already cover adults without dependent children in Medicaid through a longstanding Section 1115 waiver. This report, based on 2007 Medicaid claims data for adult Medicaid enrollees in Arizona, provides an analysis of health care utilization and health conditions for childless adults and compares…

  • The Role of Medicaid for Adults With Chronic Illnesses

    Fact Sheet

    This report and related fact sheets provide data on spending, utilization, and access to care among low-income nonelderly adult Medicaid beneficiaries with chronic illnesses. Four fact sheets provide detail for beneficiaries with diabetes, respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, and behavioral health conditions The reports show that, despite relatively high prevalence of chronic conditions and, correspondingly, relatively high spending and utilization rates, Medicaid beneficiaries with chronic illness report better access to care than their uninsured counterparts, many…

  • The Public’s Health Care Agenda for the New Congress and Presidential Campaign, December 2006

    Poll Finding

    This Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health National Survey looks at the public's priorities and views on health issues as a new Democratic majority takes the leadership of Congress and as the 2008 presidential campaign begins to take shape. It focuses, in particular, on differences and similarities among Democrats, Republicans, and those who identify themselves as Independents or something else. The poll, conducted November 9-19, 2006, by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard…

  • How Trends in the Health Care System Affect Low-Income Adults: Identifying Access Problems and Financial Burdens

    Issue Brief

    As policymakers focus on strategies to improve health insurance coverage, this brief highlights findings from the Kaiser Low-Income Coverage and Access Survey on the current role that insurance plays in facilitating access to care for low-income adults and in protecting against financial burdens. Findings demonstrate that health insurance is a critical lever to open the door to health care services for low-income adults. Uninsured low-income adults often experience health problems, but are more likely than…

  • Medicaid in a Declining Economy:  Limited Approaches for States to Control Spending

    Issue Brief

    Medicaid in a Declining Economy: Limited Approaches for States to Control Spending This brief analyzes results from its annual 50-state budget surveys of Medicaid directors from 2003 to 2007. The historical results describe how states adopted a wide array of Medicaid cost containment strategies during the last economic downturn and were assisted by the federal government to avoid deeper Medicaid cuts. Issue Brief (.pdf) See related material on this issue

  • Medicaid as a Platform for Broader Health Reform: Supporting High-Need and Low-Income Populations

    Issue Brief

    Medicaid is the health insurance safety net for nearly 60 million of the nation's poorest and sickest individuals. It provides access to a comprehensive scope of benefits with limited cost-sharing that is geared to meet the health needs and limited resources of the low-income, high-need populations it serves, populations for whom private coverage is often not available, not affordable or inadequate. This paper, based on years of research and analysis from the Kaiser Commission on…