U.S. Uninsured Rate Holds Steady; Future Changes Loom
The percentage of Americans without health insurance remained around 8% in 2025, based on data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This rate is significantly lower compared to previous years. However, potential changes could increase the number of uninsured individuals as the Trump administration implements new policies.
Massive modifications to Medicaid, the health program for low-income Americans, were enacted into law last year. These changes could add 10 million uninsured people over ten years, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. Additionally, the expiration of some Affordable Care Act subsidies, which previously helped offset premium costs, is reducing participation in marketplace health plans. The nonprofit KFF projects about 5 million fewer people will enroll in these plans in 2026 compared to 2025.
While various programs track American insurance status, results can differ based on timing and question phrasing. Many experts consider the U.S. Census Bureau as the primary authority, according to David Howard, a professor at Emory University. Nonetheless, CDC survey results align closely with the Census Bureau, providing the first complete data for 2025, during President Donald Trump’s second term.
The Trump administration aims to increase access to low-premium catastrophic health plans and reduce drug costs for uninsured individuals. It also suggests that declining enrollment may reflect fewer fraudulent and ineligible enrollees rather than a loss of coverage among eligible Americans.
Despite a stable share of insured and uninsured, the total number of uninsured rose by approximately 800,000 in 2025, including 300,000 children. This increase is partly due to U.S. population growth. Survey results also indicate a potential rise in the insured rate among Hispanic Americans. This may result from the administration’s immigration measures prompting uninsured individuals to leave the country.
Most Americans over 65 have insurance through the federal Medicare program. In contrast, younger Americans rely on a blend of public and private insurance options. From 1980 to 2010, the uninsured rate for those under 65 increased from 12% to over 18%. This changed with the Affordable Care Act’s 2010 passage, which expanded Medicaid and made insurance more affordable. By 2016, the uninsured rate neared 10%, rising to 11-12% during Trump’s first term, based on CDC data.
The uninsured rate declined again during the COVID-19 pandemic due to policies preserving coverage amid pandemic-related disruptions. In 2023, the rate fell below 9% for the first time.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.