How many Americans are under insured?

Asked by: Anibal Kozey  |  Last update: November 3, 2025
Score: 4.5/5 (22 votes)

Survey Highlights But there are soft spots requiring policy attention: 9 percent of adults were uninsured, 12 percent had a gap in coverage over the past year, and 23 percent were underinsured, meaning they had coverage for a full year that didn't provide them with affordable access to heath care.

Why are so many Americans uninsured?

Lack of access to affordable health coverage is the main reason many people say they are uninsured. A majority of working age adults in the U.S. obtain health insurance through an employer; however, not all workers are offered employer-sponsored coverage or, if offered, can afford their share of the premiums.

How many Americans are under insured for life insurance?

In January 2023, 52% of consumers reported owning life insurance (e.g., individual, employer-sponsored, etc.), which is up from 50% in 2022 but down from 63% in 2011. Overall, there are more than 100 million uninsured and underinsured Americans who say they need (or need more) life insurance coverage.

How many Americans are self insured?

Introduction. In the United States, more than 178 million (56%) Americans receive insurance coverage through an employer; of these, approximately 60% have insurance from a self-insured employer.

What percentage of the population is on Obamacare?

On average, 20% of the population in non-expansion states have enrolled in an Affordable Care Act marketplace plan at some point in time, compared to 12% of the population in expansion states.

How Many People are Uninsured?

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How many US citizens don't have health insurance?

The Share of Americans Without Health Insurance in 2023 Remained Low. In 2023, 26 million people — or 8 percent of the population — were uninsured, according to a report in September 2024 from the Census Bureau.

Why do Republicans not like the Affordable Care Act?

The opposition to a government role in health care is based on the fact that that the vast majority of our citizens do not trust their government. Republicans are much less trusting of the federal government and much less supportive of a government role in health care than Democrats.

What percentage of the US doesn't have insurance?

Introduction. An estimated 26 million Americans, or 8 percent of the U.S. population, lacked health insurance in 2023.

How common are self-funded health plans?

Sixty-five percent of covered workers are in a plan that is self-funded, the same percentage (65%) as last year [Figure 10.2].

How many Americans are self employed?

What percentage of US workers are self-employed? 10.1% of the workforce is currently self-employed as of January 2023. That's almost 16.2 million people.

What happens in America if you can't afford healthcare?

Americans are no longer taxed for not carrying health insurance. Medical debt contributes to a large number of bankruptcies in America. Access to quality primary care is critical, but doctors have the right to refuse patients without insurance or who are able to pay out-of-pocket expenses.

What is the average death benefit payout?

The average life insurance payout in the U.S. is about $168,000, according to Aflac. However, the payout of your life insurance policy will depend on the face amount (death benefit) you choose and any money accelerated, borrowed against or withdrawn from the policy prior to the payout.

Who is the largest life insurer in the US?

According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), the largest insurance companies offering life insurance are New York Life Group, followed by Northwestern Mutual Group, with Metropolitan Group in third place.

What race is the most uninsured?

Uninsured rates are higher among Latino, American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN), Black, and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) people than among Asian, white, and multiracial people.

What state has the highest uninsured population?

Texas is home to the country's largest share of Americans under 65 without health insurance, according to new Census Bureau data, with 18.8% of residents uninsured as of 2022.

What age group is the most uninsured?

Young Adults (Ages 18 Through 24 Years)

Almost three out of every ten young adults do not have health insurance. Members of this age group are nearly twice as likely to be uninsured compared to members of the general population under age 65.

What percentage of people can't afford healthcare?

Overall, 16.9% of Americans report at least 1 financial barrier. Among those with private insurance, the poor (28.4%), near poor (24.3%), and those with functional impairments (22.9%) were more likely to report avoiding care due to cost.

What percentage of large employers are self-insured?

Large firms (500 or more employees) are much more likely (74%) than small (16%) and medium-sized firms (32%) to self-insure at least one of their health plans.

Who pays for uninsured patients?

Hospitals do get help with the unpaid bills – from taxpayers. The majority of hospitals are non-profits and are exempt from federal, state and local taxes if they provide a community benefit, such as charitable care. Hospitals also receive federal funding to offset some of the costs of treating the poor.

How many Americans are on Medicaid?

79,308,002 people were enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP in the 50 states and the District of Columbia that reported enrollment data for October 2024. 72,058,701 people were enrolled in Medicaid. 7,249,301 people were enrolled in CHIP.

How many people in the US are uninsured in 2024?

In Q1 2024, the estimated uninsured rate for the full population is 8.2 percent, which corresponds to 27.1 million individuals without insurance. This rate is not significantly different from the Q4 2023 uninsured rate of 7.7 percent.

What went wrong with Obamacare?

Obamacare has increased the cost of health care and health insurance. The ACA's federal mandates and spending, including Medicaid expansion and subsidized individual plans, have drastically increased the cost of health care and health insurance. 2. Obamacare increases Americans' reliance on the federal government. …

What do Democrats think about free healthcare?

Democrats believe that quality, affordable health care is a right – not a privilege – for every American.

How many times have Republicans tried to repeal Obamacare?

After the July 27, 2017 vote on the Health Care Freedom Act, Newsweek "found at least 70 Republican-led attempts to repeal, modify or otherwise curb the Affordable Care Act since its inception as law on March 23, 2010."