17 Uninsured American Statistics Everyone Should Know

Healthcare is something that many Americans either can’t afford or are struggling to cover the cost of premiums or deductibles. So the out-of-pocket cost is said to be somewhere around 11.6% of the median income. 

Below are seventeen uninsured American statistics that everyone should have knowledge of and how these affect individuals and households, especially the young and vulnerable individuals of society, and may give us an idea of what change is needed. 

Uninsured American Statistics

1. In 2021, 30 Million People Had No Health Insurance

This figure includes those under the age of 65, and if we break this down to working-age adults, this figure is around 27.5 million, and for those who may have insurance, 43% of them had inadequate cover, meaning they will have gaps in some areas of their insurance. 

This may have been due to people being out of work due to the great resignation in the spring of 2021, where people were in between jobs or wanted to exit the workforce, or opted to work part-time hours, but this figure may not be indicative of all of these people. 

2. 18,314 People Die Annually Due To A Lack Of Health Insurance

This is lower than the 2006 rate, which was 26,000 Americans, and it is believed that 25% of the population is delaying getting medical assistance due to the cost, as an average consultation with a doctor will cost around $100-200 and can be more without insurance. 

The US is the third highest country with an aging population, and an increase in this demographic could bring more of a strain on government budgets.

Caring for this demographic isn’t cheap either, with a survey revealing that a room in a nursing room can cost anywhere from $7,000 to $9,000 a month, and Medicare doesn’t assist in long-term care, making this position very precarious for people and their families. 

3. In 2021, Nearly A Quarter Of The Hispanic Population In The US Did Not Have Health Insurance 

This figure is around the 22.8% mark, and when compared with white Americans at 7.2% and 11.2% of black Americans makes, this figure the more startling, and tax fines on those uninsured may be linked to the cause of this rise.

We can also look at the stat, which shows that about half of the Hispanic immigrant population who have lived in the US for ten years or less have said they have a primary care health provider. Those without insurance, which is 41%, and those under 30 are less likely than other Hispanic Americans to report they have a primary care provider.  

4. 73% Of Those Who Were Uninsured In 2019 Claimed It Was Because Of The Costs Of Healthcare

This can be due to resources in local areas being scaled back or removed altogether, so there’s no wonder that 66% of Americans reported that they were somewhat or a little concerned they weren’t able to afford medical care in 2021. 

This leads many individuals and families to make calculations between financial security and health, for we can see a trend from 2016 where 33% of adults rate their coverage as excellent, 41% as good, 20% as fair, and 5% as poor.

It is shown that as promising as these numbers are, one in five in some states say they couldn’t get the healthcare they needed at some point in the last two years.

5. The State Of Texas Has The Highest Rate Of Uninsured Children At 11.9%

This extends to uninsured adults as the rate is somewhere around 18.4%, and the next highest is Oklahoma at 14.3% and Georgia at 13.4%, so this gap may be due to aspects such as Texan workers being less likely to have employment-based health coverage than other states. 

This is likely due to Texas being a non-expansion state, as this has meant many poorer Texans can’t earn enough to reach the income cap, which is why in 2019, it had the largest share of individuals who didn’t have health insurance. 

6. 26 To 34 Year-Olds Are The Most Uninsured Group At 21.2%

This statistic covers the entirety of those in the 0-64 year age group, but the rate of uninsured people in the 26-34 age group was 14.2% in 2020. 

In terms of work status, 8 out of 10 uninsured people are members of families with at least one wage earner, 6 out of 10 uninsured people are wage earners themselves, and families without earners are far more likely to be uninsured. 

This is why this age group can benefit from adjustable converge from providers such as Ladder, and it may be preferable to have this instead of an underwhelming working package.

7. In 2021, The Average Annual Premiums Were $7,739 For Single Coverage

This is compared to $22, 221 for family coverage, and you consider that the median annual salary in 2022 is about $54,132; this might be brought up due to an increase in higher earners and doesn’t factor in types of occupation or location. 

This varies between states, and in 2021 the cheapest state for premiums was Minnesota, with $292, and Wyoming was the most expensive area, with $782, which is for a single premium that takes out insurance under Obamacare. 

8. African Americans Are 8% More Likely To Live Without Health Insurance Than White People

This is down to many factors, including the fact that black Americans earn 30% less than white workers, and is due to several states’ refusal to expand Medicaid, which has effects such as the infant and maternal mortality rates being far higher than their white counterparts. 

Not surprisingly, 10% of all beneficiaries of Medicare are African American and are significantly worse off than non-Hispanic whites, and African Americans have a higher risk than white people for specific health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. 

9. The Share Of Uninsured Americans Fell By 1.5% To 8% Between The First Quarter Of 2021 And The First Quarter Of 2022

This works out that some 5.2 million people gained converge since 2020 as part of the American rescue plan that saw several state expansions of Medicaid, an expansion of the affordable care act. 

This has seen an increase in life insurance providers such as Havenlife, making people’s financial positions seem less precarious. 

10. Children Account For 43% Of All Medicaid Enrollees 

Altogether, as of 2022, there were a total of 89,444,160 individuals who are enrolled in Medicaid and children’s health insurance programs, and this includes parents, seniors, pregnant women, and people with disabilities, and remains the largest source of health coverage in the US. 

2020 saw many of these children having stability in their Medicaid coverage, and this was possible due to a continuous coverage requirement and is said that 6.7 million children are likely to lose or are at risk of losing their Medicaid coverage.

11. 44% Of American Adults Are Struggling To Pay For Healthcare

This equates to 122 million Americans, and of this group, 93% feel that what they do pay is not worth the cost, so it might not be surprising that 62.1% of bankruptcies were caused by medical issues, and over 2 million people are adversely affected by their medical expenses.

The respondents are considered cost desperate if they report either being unable to pay for needed medical treatment, skipping prescribed medicine, or being unable to afford quality care if it was needed today.   

12. 9% Of Adults Owe More Than $250 Due To Health Costs

Of this group, half of those who report significant medical debt owe more than $2,000, and even a reduction in a costly procedure such as having chest surgery can cost over $100,000 before insurance.

In terms of being cost desperate, the likelihood of falling under this category is four times more likely for those who are earning under $48,000 per year, and men are more likely to cost secure than women, which is 60% and 58%, respectively. 

That’s why being able to save at least 50% on healthcare sounds like a good alternative, with services such as Medi-share offering converge for a range of treatments and also coming with direct bill management for a flexible service. 

13. 54% Of Consumers In An Experian Survey Said They Prefer To Pay For Medical Services With A Credit Card 

This would make sense for any doctor or emergency room visits; the average cost can be around $1,082, even if you have insurance, and can go as high as $3,087.

As this debt could have a negative effect on your credit score, even if you are actively paying it off, here is where services such as self.inc allow you to keep an eye on your credit and helps you to build good credit and have different plans to suit each plan and budget. 

14. 50 Of The Most Costly Medical procedures Costs At least Four Times More Than The Median American Household Savings 

This includes procedures such as a kidney transplant, which is 446,760, having a pacemaker removed, which is $52,005, partial removal of the colon, which is $52,353, and even blood vessel repair, which comes to $57,710. 

The mean household savings amount is $41,600, with people under 35 having a median bank account balance of $3,240 and a mean of $11, 250, which might be a more accurate way to describe this statistic as you may have extremes on each end of this set.

15. A Poll Found That Only 12% Of Americans Think That The Healthcare System Is Handled Extremely Or Very Well

Care services for older adults have a lower ranking, with only 6% believing those services were done very well. In the same group surveyed, 80% indicated that they are moderately concerned about getting access to good quality healthcare when they need it.

Two-thirds of the same people believe that it’s the federal government’s responsibility for healthcare coverage, with people under fifty more likely to hold that view. 

16. As Of 2022, It Is Suggested That People In The US Owe At Least $195 Billion In Medical Debt 

Debt remains a persistent problem for many, and it is seen that 23 million people owe a significant medical debt, as 16 million adults in the US owe over $1,000 in medical debt, and 3 million people have a debt of more than $10,000.

It’s not surprising that people with disabilities, those receiving cancer treatment, those who are poorer, black Americans, ad those living in non-Medicaid expansive states have significant medical debt, so this occurs across many demographic groups. 

17. In 2021, 54.3% Of The US Population Had Employment-Based Health Insurance Coverage

As of 2020, this covered around 157 million people, with an average single premium rising by 4%, and the same rate applies to family premiums, and those working in smaller firms had a premium that was similar to someone working in a larger firm for a single premium. 

This is seen with covered workers that have family coverage who work with lower-wage workers, as their premiums are lower than those who work for a firm that has a lower share of lower-wage workers, which is $19,332 and $21,486, respectively. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Are The Primary Reasons Why People Are Uninsured?

This figure, even though it has seen a slight fall, is still a problem for many people, and it is low-income families who are most likely to be uninsured, and the main reason for this is stated that the high cost of insurance has meant they lack coverage.

Some other reasons include not being eligible for coverage, which can consist of certain pre-existing conditions that may not be covered, those who don’t want or need converge, signing up that was too confusing or difficult, losing their job, or not finding a plan that suits their needs.

That is why when people lose their coverage through an employer or family member, it makes affording this difficult, especially if you consider that even though wages might be rising slightly, they aren’t likely to keep pace with inflation. 

What Are The Issues Of Not Having Insurance?

Most of these are going to be cost related, and one of these is inflating healthcare prices, as an ambulance can cost around $400- $1,200, an ER visit can cost $50-$20,000 plus, and urgent care can be somewhere around $80-$500.

This doesn’t include tests, which can cost around $100-500, and an additional charge of $5,000 might be added if you need to spend the night, and that’s before you factor in any surgery or any medication you need that can add up to the hundreds of thousands.

This causes many to skip out on appointments or surgery they need because the costs are so high, and this is said to be 3 in 10 uninsured adults, and while people feel they don’t need this cover, it can be a significant risk to take, 

Closing Thoughts

You’ll also notice that as premiums rise, many people who consider themselves healthy may drop out, and this makes it more expensive to cover the costs for those who are insured and rely on their providers for their medical treatment.

A solution to this would be to get more people insured, and with states such as Texas, Wisconsin, Florida, Kansas, and Mississippi haven’t expanded their Medicaid expansion. 

This could be changed with either more funding or ballot initiatives to see some improvement in these initiatives, and all depends on the reach of research groups and government bodies. 

The issue with this is that many people in isolated communities within these states won’t get access to the healthcare they need that they might get if Medicaid was expanded, and factors such as income and condition will play a prominent role in this.

Perhaps you haven’t got insurance, and you’re considering it. If so, it might be a risk you’re not willing to take, especially if you have dependents such as children or family members, and of course, this can change partly due to the economy.