Americans without health insurance – statistics & facts

The United States has a multi-payer health care system, which broadly means that some people are covered by private insurance, while others receive health care from public insurance programs. Meanwhile, in 2021 around 30 million Americans lacked health insurance coverage. Should uninsured individuals require health care, they are likely to face significant financial consequences and need to pay large medical bills out of pocket. Costs can quickly add up leaving them susceptible to medical debt.

Public health insurance in the United States

The first public health insurance programs were signed into U.S. law in 1965. Medicare is solely funded by the federal government and focuses primarily on individuals aged 65 and older, while Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that provides medical coverage to those of low income. In 1997, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was created to provide insurance to children in families with incomes that were too high to qualify for Medicaid but too low to afford private health insurance. Despite consistent coverage gains, around four million children were uninsured in the United States in 2021.

How the Affordable Care Act pushed uninsured rates down

The uninsured rate in the United States stood at 9.6 percent in 2021, but the figure was as high as 16 percent around a decade earlier. In 2010, the introduction of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) helped to address coverage gaps in the health care system. Under the ACA, states now have the option to expand Medicaid to cover nearly all low-income adults under age 65 based on income eligibility thresholds. Previously, most low-income adults without children were not eligible for Medicaid – adults living alone still account for the highest number of non-elderly people without health insurance. States can choose whether or not to expand Medicaid – 12 states have not done so as of November 2021 – and they also have the power to include additional groups and benefits in their version of the plan.

The coverage gap

Since 2010, the share of uninsured adults under age 65 has dropped by half in states that have expanded Medicaid, while the share of uninsured adults dropped just one-fifth in non-expansion states. An estimated 2.2 million people fall under the Medicaid Coverage Gap with a third in Texas alone. The coverage gap refers to those who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but too little to afford private health insurance. In Texas for example, as of January 2021 a parent with dependent children (family of three) earning more than 17 percent of FPL (roughly 300 U.S. dollars) per month would not be eligible for Medicaid. At a time of national and international health crisis, more focus should be given to those without any health coverage.

This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.

Age group with most uninsured people: 26-34 years

Number of uninsured adults living alone or with other adults in 2021: 14.7 million

Uninsured people with income below 200% of federal poverty level in 2021: 13 million

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Percentage of people without health insurance in the United States from 2010 to 2022, by ethnicity

Public Health Programs

Percentage of people in the U.S. without health insurance by ethnicity 2010-2022

Percentage of people without health insurance in the United States from 1997 to 2021

Health System

Percentage of people in the U.S. without health insurance 1997-2021

Percentage of the total U.S. population without health insurance in 2021, by state

Health System

Share of total U.S. population without health insurance in 2021, by state

Recommended statistics

Overview

Basic Statistic Number of health uninsured vs insured adults in the U.S. 2003-2020
Number of health uninsured vs insured adults in the U.S. 2003-2020
Number of health insured vs. uninsured adults in the United States from 2003 to 2020 (in millions)
Basic Statistic Number of people in the U.S. without health insurance 1997-2021
Number of people in the U.S. without health insurance 1997-2021
Number of people without health insurance in the United States from 1997 to 2021 (in millions)
Premium Statistic Percentage of people in the U.S. without health insurance 1997-2021
Percentage of people in the U.S. without health insurance 1997-2021
Percentage of people without health insurance in the United States from 1997 to 2021
Premium Statistic Share of people in the U.S. without health insurance by age 1997-2022
Share of people in the U.S. without health insurance by age 1997-2022
Share of people without health insurance in the United States from 1997 to 2022, by age
Premium Statistic Share of U.S. adults without health insurance by gender 2015-2022
Share of U.S. adults without health insurance by gender 2015-2022
Share of adults aged 18-64 years without health insurance in the United States from 2015 to 2022, by gender
Premium Statistic Share of U.S. adults without health insurance by poverty level 1997-2022
Share of U.S. adults without health insurance by poverty level 1997-2022
Share of adults aged 18-64 years without health insurance in the United States from 1997 to 2022, by family income as a percentage of FPL
Premium Statistic Health insurance coverage for people with and without disabilities from 2008 to 2021
Health insurance coverage for people with and without disabilities from 2008 to 2021
Health insurance coverage among people with and without disabilities in the U.S. from 2008 to 2021
Premium Statistic Share of total U.S. population without health insurance in 2021, by state
Share of total U.S. population without health insurance in 2021, by state
Percentage of the total U.S. population without health insurance in 2021, by state

Children

Basic Statistic Uninsured U.S. children number by age 2021
Uninsured U.S. children number by age 2021
Number of children without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by age (in millions)
Basic Statistic Uninsured U.S. children total number by family income 2021
Uninsured U.S. children total number by family income 2021
Number of children without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by annual family income (in millions)
Premium Statistic Uninsured U.S. children number by household type 2021
Uninsured U.S. children number by household type 2021
Number of children without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by household type (in millions)
Basic Statistic Uninsured U.S. children number by family work status 2021
Uninsured U.S. children number by family work status 2021
Number of children without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by family work status (in millions)
Basic Statistic Uninsured U.S. children percentage and rate by citizenship 2021
Uninsured U.S. children percentage and rate by citizenship 2021
Percentage and rate of children without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by citizenship

Nonelderly adults

Basic Statistic Uninsured U.S. non-elderly people total number by age 2021
Uninsured U.S. non-elderly people total number by age 2021
Number of non-elderly people without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by age (in millions)
Premium Statistic Uninsured U.S. non-elderly people by family income 2021
Uninsured U.S. non-elderly people by family income 2021
Number of non-elderly people without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by annual family income (in millions)
Basic Statistic Uninsured non-elderly people number by household type in the U.S. 2021
Uninsured non-elderly people number by household type in the U.S. 2021
Number of non-elderly people without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by household type (in millions)
Premium Statistic Uninsured non-elderly people in the U.S. by family work status 2021
Uninsured non-elderly people in the U.S. by family work status 2021
Number of non-elderly people without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by family work status (in millions)
Premium Statistic Uninsured non-elderly people in the U.S. by citizenship 2021
Uninsured non-elderly people in the U.S. by citizenship 2021
Number of non-elderly people without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by citizenship (in millions)

Nonelderly adult workers

Basic Statistic Uninsured U.S. adult workers in 2021, by age
Uninsured U.S. adult workers in 2021, by age
Number of adult workers without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by age (in millions)
Basic Statistic Uninsured U.S. workers 2021, by annual income
Uninsured U.S. workers 2021, by annual income
Number of adult workers without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by income* (in millions)
Basic Statistic Uninsured U.S. workers in 2021, by work status
Uninsured U.S. workers in 2021, by work status
Number of adult workers without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by work status (in millions)*
Premium Statistic Uninsured U.S. adult workers 2021, by industry
Uninsured U.S. adult workers 2021, by industry
Number of adult workers without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by industry (in millions)
Basic Statistic Percentage and rate of uninsured U.S. adult workers in 2021, by ethnicity
Percentage and rate of uninsured U.S. adult workers in 2021, by ethnicity
Percentage and rate of adult workers without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by ethnicity
Basic Statistic Percentage and rate of uninsured U.S. adult workers in 2021, by income
Percentage and rate of uninsured U.S. adult workers in 2021, by income
Percentage and rate of adult workers without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by annual income*

Gender comparison

Premium Statistic Uninsured U.S. adult women in 2021 by age
Uninsured U.S. adult women in 2021 by age
Number of adult women without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by age (in millions)
Premium Statistic Uninsured U.S. women in 2021 by parent status
Uninsured U.S. women in 2021 by parent status
Number of adult women without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by parent status (in millions)*
Basic Statistic Uninsured U.S. adult men in 2021, by age
Uninsured U.S. adult men in 2021, by age
Number of adult men without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by age (in millions)
Basic Statistic Uninsured U.S. men in 2021, by parent status
Uninsured U.S. men in 2021, by parent status
Number of adult men without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by parent status (in millions)*

Ethnic group comparison

Premium Statistic Percentage of people in the U.S. without health insurance by ethnicity 2010-2022
Percentage of people in the U.S. without health insurance by ethnicity 2010-2022
Percentage of people without health insurance in the United States from 2010 to 2022, by ethnicity
Premium Statistic Population without health insurance in 2021, by ethnicity and age
Population without health insurance in 2021, by ethnicity and age
Share of the population without health insurance in the United States in 2021, by ethnicity and age
Premium Statistic Share without health insurance in the U.S. 2021, by Medicaid expansion and ethnicity
Share without health insurance in the U.S. 2021, by Medicaid expansion and ethnicity
Share of the population without health insurance in the United States in 2021, by state Medicaid expansion status and ethnicity
Premium Statistic Uninsured non-elderly people in the U.S. by ethnicity 2021
Uninsured non-elderly people in the U.S. by ethnicity 2021
Number of non-elderly people without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by ethnicity (in millions)
Basic Statistic Uninsured U.S. children number by ethnicity 2021
Uninsured U.S. children number by ethnicity 2021
Number of children without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by ethnicity (in millions)
Basic Statistic Uninsured adult U.S. workers in 2021, by ethnicity
Uninsured adult U.S. workers in 2021, by ethnicity
Number of adult workers without health insurance in the U.S. in 2021, by ethnicity (in millions)

ACA effects on uninsured

Basic Statistic Number of sign-ups during 2023 Obamacare open enrollment, by U.S. state
Number of sign-ups during 2023 Obamacare open enrollment, by U.S. state
Number of ACA (Obamacare) sign-ups during 2023 open enrollment, by U.S. state
Premium Statistic Share of U.S. adults without health insurance by Medicaid expansion status 2010-2022
Share of U.S. adults without health insurance by Medicaid expansion status 2010-2022
Share of adults aged 18-64 years without health insurance in the United States from 2010 to 2022, by state Medicaid expansion status
Basic Statistic Estimated number of uninsured without ACA in the U.S. 2015-2025
Estimated number of uninsured without ACA in the U.S. 2015-2025
Estimated number of uninsured without the Affordable Care Act from 2015 to 2025 (in millions of nonelderly people)
Premium Statistic Estimated number of less uninsured due to ACA 2015-2025
Estimated number of less uninsured due to ACA 2015-2025
Projected number of less uninsured due to the Affordable Care Act from 2015 to 2025 (in millions of nonelderly people)
Premium Statistic Estimated number of uninsured under ACA in the U.S. 2015-2025
Estimated number of uninsured under ACA in the U.S. 2015-2025
Projected number of uninsured under the Affordable Care Act from 2015 to 2025 (in millions of nonelderly people)

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Key figures

The most important key figures provide you with a compact summary of the topic of "Americans without health insurance" and take you straight to the corresponding statistics.

Non-elderly adult females without insurance in 2021
10.3 m
Detailed statistics
Uninsured U.S. adult women in 2021 by age
Non-elderly adult males without insurance
13.2 m
Detailed statistics
Uninsured U.S. adult men in 2021, by age
Number of uninsured males - non-parent in 2021
13.2 m
Detailed statistics
Uninsured U.S. men in 2021, by parent status

State with highest share of uninsured people
Texas
Detailed statistics
Share of total U.S. population without health insurance in 2021, by state
State with most Medicare beneficiaries
California
Detailed statistics
Top U.S. states by number of Medicare beneficiaries 2020
State with the fewest Medicaid/CHIP enrollees
Wyoming
Detailed statistics
Medicaid and CHIP enrollee numbers May 2022, by state

Share with any health insurance in 2021
91.7%
Detailed statistics
Percentage of U.S. Americans with any health insurance 1990-2021
Share with public health insurance in 2022
39.5%
Detailed statistics
U.S. Americans with public health insurance 1997-2022
Share with private health insurance in 2022
61%
Detailed statistics
U.S. Americans with private health insurance 1997-2022