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.

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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  • Preserving Recent Progress for Health Coverage of Children and Parents: New Tensions Emerge

    Report

    The latest survey of eligibility rules and enrollment and renewal procedures in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in their Medicaid and SCHIP programs for children and parents. It reflects changes states implemented between January 2002 and April 2003. The current survey also solicited information about states premiums and cost-sharing practices. Report Enrolling Children and Families in Health Coverage: The Promise of Doing More (50 State Survey as of January 2002) >>All 50-State…

  • Medicare Restructuring: The FEHBP Model A Summary

    Other Post

    Medicare Restructuring: The FEHBP Model Executive Summary Part 2 How Well Does FEHBP work? FEHBP has been somewhat more successful than Medicare in controlling costs. However, recent trends indicate that FEHBP's competitive structure alone cannot guarantee cost control over the long term. Until recently, FEHBP experienced slightly lower growth in spending per enrollee than Medicare. Over the period 1987 to 1997, Medicare spending per beneficiary grew at an annual rate of 8.1 percent. FEHBP spending…

  • Pulling it Together: A Primer on Health in the Election

    Perspective

    There is a lot of talk in polling and political circles and some speculation in the media about the role of health reform in the midterm elections. We regularly measure what the public thinks about health reform and you see reports from our monthly tracking polls about that. But whether those opinions will translate into an impact on people’s votes in the upcoming election is an entirely different question. First, to understand what might happen in…

  • With Federal Support, States Hold Steady in Medicaid and CHIP Coverage Policies for Low-Income Children and Families Despite Recession

    News Release

    New 50-State Survey Finds Some States Make Targeted Expansions to Strengthen Coverage and Achieve Efficiencies as They Prepare for Health Reform WASHINGTON -- Despite tight budgets, nearly all states maintained or made targeted expansions or improvements in their Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) eligibility and enrollment rules in 2010, preserving the programs’ ability to provide coverage to millions of low-income Americans who otherwise lack affordable options, according to a new survey released today…

  • New Resources & Briefing Examine Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports

    Event Date:
    Event

    The following resources by the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured (KCMU) examine the latest data findings regarding Medicaid’s long-term services and supports for seniors and people with disabilities. The materials were released at a public briefing in the Foundation’s Washington, D.C. offices that featured an expert panel and remarks on long-term services and supports by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. The reports include: Medicaid Home and Community-Based…

  • Massachusetts Health Reform Tracking Survey

    Poll Finding

    This survey finds that, with a July 1 implementation milestone approaching, most Massachusetts residents support a new state law to provide health coverage to almost all residents, including the individual mandate that requires residents to obtain coverage or pay a penalty. The poll, conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Harvard School of Public Health and the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, finds support for the new health insurance law has increased. In…