Quick Facts on the Uninsured

Fact: As most elderly people are covered by Medicare, nearly all the uninsured are under age 65. Children are more likely to have coverage than non-elderly adults, which reflects their much higher rates of public coverage through Medicaid and SCHIP.

Percentage Uninsured Among Nonelderly Adults by Age, 2006

Fact: Relative to their numbers in the overall population, members of racial and ethnic minority groups make up a disproportionate share of the uninsured population. A variety of economic and social factors underlie these disparities.

Percentage Uninsured Among the Nonelderly Population by Race and Ethnic Origin, 2006

Uninsured Nonelderly Population by Race and Ethnic Origin, 2006

Fact: Nearly twenty percent of uninsured Americans – 8.7 million individuals – are children. While children are more likely to be insured than non-elderly adults, health insurance is particularly important for children. Uninsured children are more likely than insured children to lack a usual source of health care, to go without needed care and to experience worse health outcomes.

Uninsured Children by Race and Ethnic Origin, 2006

Uninsured Nonelderly Population by Work Status of Family Head, 2006

Fact: The likelihood of being insured increases as level of educational attainment rises. However, fully 40 percent of the difference in insured rates between those with no high-school diploma and those with some post-college education would disappear if the two groups were alike with respect to demographic, geographic and health status factors.

Percentage Uninsured Among Nonelderly Adults by Education, 2006

Fact: Only 7 percent of people in families with income over $75,000 per year are uninsured, compared to 35.7 percent of people with family income below $10,000.

Percentage Uninsured Among the Nonelderly Population by Family Income, 2006

Fact: Employment-based health insurance continues to be the predominant source of coverage for the non-elderly population.

Health Insurance Coverage of Nonelderly Americans, by Source of Coverage, 2006

Note: Tricare (formerly known as CHAMPUS) is a program administered by the Department of Defense for military retirees as well as families of active duty, retired, and deceased service members. CHAMPVA, the Civilian Health and Medical Program for the Department of Veteran Affairs, is a health care benefits program for disabled dependents of veterans and certain survivors of veterans.

Fact: In recent years, individuals with health insurance coverage have experienced increases in out-of-pocket expenses for health care.

Out-of-Pocket Spending as a Percent of Total Private Spending, 1960-2017

Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute estimates from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Fact: Health care spending in the United States has grown rapidly since the 1960s, at an average rate of 10 percent a year.

National Health Expenditures (NHE), Aggregate and Share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 1960-2017

Employee Benefit Research Institute estimates from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and U.S. Department of Commerce.