8% Of Americans Didn’t Have Health Insurance In 2025, That Number Could Rise
According to new data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 8% of the American population went without health insurance in 2025.
The national survey was released last week, and showed that the all-ages uninsured rate had remained significantly down from where it was several years ago, according to reports from AP. However, the number of uninsured Americans is expected to rise as the Trump administration’s changes to the nation’s healthcare industry begin to take effect.
For example, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, major changes to Medicaid passed into law last year could result in 10 million more Americans going without insurance over the next 10 years. Medicaid is the government’s safety-net health program for low-income Americans.
Another contribution to the percentage is the expiration of certain Affordable Care Act subsidies that helped offset premium costs. Healthcare research nonprofit KFF stated that about 5 million fewer people are expected to enroll in those specific programs throughout 2026 when compared to 2025.
The government itself utilizes multiple programs to track Americans’ insurance status. Many researchers consider the US Census Bureau to “be the official scorekeeper,” according to David Howard, a health policy and management professor. However, the CDC survey results track closely with the Bureau and offer complete data from all of 2025.
The survey showed that the number of insured and uninsured citizens stayed roughly the same in 2025 as 2024, however, the number of uninsured did grow by about 800,000. 300,000 of that growth are children, and the overall increase in the US population partially explains that.
The results also suggested a possible increase among Hispanic Americans, according to AP, which could parallel the impact of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement.
Most Americans 65 and older have health insurance through the federal Medicare program, and younger Americans are mainly covered through public and private insurance programs.
The percentage of Americans under 65 who were uninsured has actually increased consistently throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s. In 1980 the percentage sat at 12% and increased to 18% by 2010 following the passage of the Affordable Care Act.
In 2016, the percentage dropped to 10% before increasing to 12% during Trump’s first administration, according to data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.
The Covid-19 pandemic actually had more people insured due to government policies that were put in place so citizens could maintain their coverage. A long term impact of this was having the rate hit an all-time low in 2023 which was below 9%.
While we can’t exactly predict how the uninsured percentage will increase in the coming year, all experts agree that we will see a rise due to the changes made to the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid.
“The decisions being made now — in Congress, state legislatures and state Medicaid agencies — will determine what happens next,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association.
“Policymakers should act immediately to protect and expand access to affordable coverage, strengthen Medicaid and maintain pathways that make coverage and care accessible,” she said.
“Without deliberate action, including reversing dramatic cuts to coverage, uninsured rates will continue to rise, putting quality health care further out of reach.”
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.
