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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
Other key facts about the uninsured >>

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  • Managed Care And Low-Income Populations: A Case Study of Managed Care in Oregon

    Report

    To gather early insights and timely information for state and federal policymakers concerning how the movement to managed care is affecting the poor and their access to care, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and The Commonwealth Fund are jointly sponsoring case studies and population surveys in California, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, and Tennessee. This case study describes the first year's experience of Oregon's Initiative, the Oregon Health Plan (OHP). It is designed to furnish…

  • Small Employers and Health Insurance and State Reforms of Small Group Health Insurance – Fact Sheet

    Fact Sheet

    Small Employers and Health Insurance Nearly half of all uninsured workers are either self-employed or work for firms with fewer than 25 employees; another 14% are in firms with 25-99 workers (EBRI, 1996). Differences in health coverage depending on the size and type of businesses have existed for years. Today, only half of small businesses sponsor health benefits. Health insurance among small employers has changed dramatically during the first half of the 1990s, however. More…

  • Understanding Individual Health Insurance Markets

    Other Post

    : Structure, Practices, and Products in Ten States New Study of Individual Health Insurance Market: Major Barriers Identified in Individual Health Insurance Market for People with Health Problems. Rates and Regulations Vary Across Ten States Studied Denials, Waiting Periods, and High Premiums Pose Problems for Pre-Medicare Population For Immediate Release Tuesday, March 17, 1998 Washington, DC - For many people who have health problems or who are approaching the age of retirement, coverage through the…

  • The Second Kaiser Family Foundation Survey of Health Care in South Africa

    Report

    The 2nd Annual Kaiser Family Foundation National Household Survey of approximately 4,000 South African households measures changes since the first survey (in 1998) in key demographics, public health, and health status indicators. The survey also establishes data on access to health care and factors affecting access, such as the cost of transport, waiting time, etc., as well as patient satisfaction with the quality of care. Report

  • First Glance at the Children’s Health Initiative in Santa Clara County, California

    Report

    A new background report examines Santa Clara County in California in its effort to provide health insurance coverage (Children's Health Initiative or CHI) to all children living in the county. As one of the first localities to attempt such an initiative, its experiences can highlight important lessons and potential best practices for policymakers at the county, state, and national level considering coverage expansions for children. Also see Lessons from the Field: Increasing Enrollment in Children's…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • The Public Opinion Update on The Uninsured

    Other Post

    Kaiser Public Opinion Update, April 2000 summarizes key findings from past surveys on the uninsured conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health and a new survey conducted by the Foundation in conjunction with The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. The surveys show that the public is concerned about the problem of the uninsured, but that solutions remain elusive because of the lack of public consensus on the best approach and…

  • 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…

  • How Well Does the Employment-Based Health Insurance System Work for Low-Income Families?

    Other Post

    Part 3 What Explains the Coverage Decline? Rapidly rising health care costs-or, more precisely, employers' responses to costs-have contributed to the widespread erosion of employer coverage. As employers have shifted costs to workers, participation has dropped. Low-wage workers have been disproportionately affected by rising costs, losing access to coverage as well as finding participation more difficult. Their problems have been exacerbated by structural changes in labor markets, which have weakened the tie between jobs and…