Home Uninsured Topics

Uninsured

New and noteworthy

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 >>

Latest News

More KFF Health News

Stay informed.

Get KFF's latest on the Uninsured

Stay informed.

Get KFF's latest on the Uninsured

View the Latest: Uninsured

Filter

List Grid

891-900 of 1,312 results

  • Covering the Low-Income Uninsured: Assessing the Alternatives

    Report

    This issue brief describes and analyzes expansions of Medicaid and SCHIP, tax credits for individually-purchased insurance, and tax credits for employment-based health insurance as options to expand health coverage of the low-income population. Issue Paper

  • Racial/Ethnic Differences in Cardiac Care: The Weight of the Evidence

    Fact Sheet

    Numerous studies over the past two decades have documented racial and ethnic differences in care for heart conditions. To assess the quality of the evidence and to summarize the information for a physician audience, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation collaborated with the American College of Cardiology Foundation to review the body of research on racial/ethnic differences in cardiac care. There is credible evidence that minority patients are less likely than white patients to receive…

  • The Group that Struggles the Most in American Health Care

    From Drew Altman

    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,…

  • Uninsured in America – Testimony

    Event Date:
    Event

    Diane Rowland, Executive Vice President and Executive Director of the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, testified on March 9, 2004 at a U.S. House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health hearing on issues concerning Americans who lack access to affordable health insurance. Testimony (.pdf)   Please note: the video is no longer available.  If you have an urgent need for the video, you may contact us (choose “problem with video” on the form)…

  • Cover the Uninsured Week 2004 – Kaiser Family Foundation Resources

    Other Post

    May 10 - 16, 2004 is Cover the Uninsured Week. This week, organized by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, was developed to focus the nation’s attention on America's uninsured population. On May 5, 2004, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation launched Cover the Uninsured Week at an event in Washington, DC. Webcast: Cover the Uninsured Week Launch On May 10, 2004, The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured is sponsoring a breakfast briefing, "The Cost…

  • Health Care Agenda for the New Congress – Chartpack

    Poll Finding

    This chartpack provides key findings from the survey of the public's attitudes regarding the health care agenda for Bush's second term and the new Congress in 2005. It assesses the relative priority placed on health-care concerns by the American public and also provides insight into public opinion on key issues likely to face the new Congress, such as implementing the Medicare drug law, controlling health care costs, reducing the nation’s uninsured population and reforming the…

  • Low-Income Adults Under Age 65 – Many are Poor, Sick, and Uninsured

    Issue Brief

    This policy brief from the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured examines the characteristics and insurance coverage of low-income adults under age 65, a group numbering more than 50 million people. Members of this group are more likely to be in poor health than other Americans and are the least likely to have health insurance. Nearly a third are from families earning less than twice the poverty level. Fifteen percent live in poverty. Although…

  • What Are the Latest Trends in Medicaid? Results from a 50-State Medicaid Budget Survey for State Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019 at a Forum with the National Association of Medicaid Directors  

    Event Date:
    Event

    On Oct. 25, 2018, KFF released its 18th annual 50-state Medicaid budget survey for state fiscal years 2018 and 2019. KFF and the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD) held a joint briefing to discuss trends in enrollment and spending and highlight key policy developments at a time when the majority of states are focused on quality and outcomes while some are pursing policies that could restrict Medicaid coverage. The survey provides new information and data…

  • Filling the Coverage Gap: Policy Options and Considerations

    Issue Brief

    This issue brief examines some of the other options policymakers may consider to extend coverage to people in the gap, including increased fiscal incentives for states, a narrower public option, and making people with incomes below the poverty level eligible for enhanced ACA premium subsidies.