Uninsured & Underinsured

This Issue Brief presents current estimates of enrollment in health insurance coverage obtained through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplaces, Medicaid expansion, Children's Health Insurance Program, Basic Health Program and the subsequent reductions in state-level uninsured rates since the ACA was implemented in 2014.

This Issue Brief examines children’s health coverage trends using the National Health Interview Survey from 2010 through the third quarter of 2022 and reviews recent research findings from the National Survey of Children's Health on children’s access to and utilization of health care services during this period, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

This Issue Brief examines the composition of the population that is uninsured and highlights changes in uninsured rates by geography and demographic factors from 2019 to 2021, during a time of significant federal policy efforts to expand coverage.

COVID-19 vaccines and treatments have been an important tool in the prevention of COVID-19, including preventing hospitalizations and deaths.

This Data Point examines new Health Interview Survey data to assess recent changes in coverage, finding that the uninsured rate declined throughout 2021 and early 2022 – reaching a historic low of 8.0% by the first quarter of 2022. This reflects 5.2 million people gaining coverage since 2020.

This report highlights the impacts of the Affordable Care Act's Marketplace subsidies on coverage rates among self-employed adults and small business owners, based on tax data from the Department of Treasury and national survey data.

This report examines recently-released 2021 National Health Interview Survey data to assess coverage changes during the pandemic, finding a decrease in the uninsured rate in 2021 for the population as a whole and by race, ethnicity, and income.

In response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services provided a 2021 Special Enrollment Period (SEP) from February 15 to August 15, 2021. Understanding the sociodemographic composition of Marketplace enrollees allows for better targeted outreach and enrollment assistance. However, many enrollees do not report their race and ethnicity.

The American Rescue Plan (ARP) includes two key provisions that expand and increase premium tax credit benefits for Marketplace consumers, improving affordability of coverage for millions. Under current law, these provisions will sunset in 2023 if they are not extended, resulting in higher out-of-pocket costs for enrollees and an increase in the number of uninsured.

This brief provides an overview of the important role the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has had on increasing access to comprehensive coverage among women. Over 10 million adult women (19-64) gained coverage between 2010 and 2019, as did over 7 million women of reproductive age (15-44). Despite the ACA’s coverage gains, approximately 7.9 million women of reproductive age remain uninsured.