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

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921-930 of 1,312 results

  • Medicaid and Other Public Programs for Low-Income Childless Adults:  An Overview of Coverage in Eight States

    Report

    Medicaid and Other Public Programs for Low-Income Childless Adults: An Overview of Coverage in Eight States This report profiles childless adult programs in eight state-level jurisdictions: the District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Report (.pdf) Background State Reports prepared by the Economic and Social Research Institute

  • At the Edge: Near Elderly Americans Talk About Health Insurance

    Report

    These narratives focus on the experiences of those who are both near elderly and uninsured. They profile six individuals whose stories highlight a number of problems faced by large numbers of men and women in their fifties and early sixties. Report (.pdf)

  • New Reports Examine Near-Elderly Health Coverage Trends and Six Near-Elderly Uninsured Individuals’ Experiences with the American Health Care System

    Report

    Two new reports focus on health coverage in the near elderly (age 55-64) population. One report examines trends in the population's income, health status, and insurance coverage and the other report profiles six near-elderly uninsured individuals' life challenges in the years preceding Medicare eligibility. Health Insurance Coverage of the Near Elderly At the Edge: Near Elderly Americans Talk About Health Insurance

  • Health Insurance Coverage of the Near Elderly

    Report

    This report examines the changes in income, health status, and insurance coverage that occur with the aging of the population, focusing primarily on the nearly 26 million near elderly--those between 55 and 64 years of age. Report (.pdf)

  • Immigrants and Health Coverage:  A Primer

    Issue Brief

    Immigrants and Health Coverage: A Primer A major challenge facing many immigrants is lack of health insurance coverage. This primer provides an introduction to some of the questions surrounding immigrants and health insurance coverage. Issue Brief (.pdf)

  • Update on Individual Health Insurance

    Report

    This report provides information about the individual health insurance market using data from the largest vendor of this type of insurance, eHealthInsurance. The report includes who is buying individual insurance, what they are actually paying for the insurance, and buying patterns. It is the first in an up-coming series of reports jointly produced by the Kaiser Family Foundation and eHealthInsurance to provide trend information in such areas of interest as premiums and cost sharing, and…

  • Uninsured Workers in America

    Fact Sheet

    The fact sheet describes the characteristics of uninsured workers, the availability of and participation in job-based coverage, and reasons why workers are uninsured. Fact Sheet (.pdf)

  • Economic Stress and the Safety Net: A Health Center Update

    Issue Brief

    The issue paper provides data on the demographic profile of health center patients and the revenue sources available for financing their care, including recent increases in federal discretionary funding. It examines the impact of the recent economic downturn on health centers in selected communities, exploring the effect of elevated unemployment levels among lower wage workers, declining private health insurance coverage, and widespread cutbacks in Medicaid--the single most important source of health center financing. Issue Paper…