According to new findings from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the proportion of Americans without health insurance remained steady at around 8% in 2025. This figure represents a significant decline from previous years. However, the number of uninsured may increase as policies from the Trump administration take effect.
Recent changes to Medicaid, the health safety net for low-income Americans, could lead to 10 million more uninsured individuals over the next decade, based on estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. Additionally, the expiration of specific Affordable Care Act subsidies—which helped reduce premium costs—could cause a decrease in marketplace health program participation. The healthcare research nonprofit KFF predicts about 5 million fewer plan enrollments in 2026 compared to 2025.
Researchers track insurance coverage using various methods which can result in differing statistics. Nonetheless, many regard the U.S. Census Bureau as the authoritative source. David Howard, a health policy professor at Emory University, noted that CDC survey results align closely with census data, offering comprehensive information for 2025—the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term.
The Trump administration pursued expansions in low-premium catastrophic health plans and sought to lower drug prices for uninsured individuals. It also interpreted projected declines in insurance enrollment as a reduction in fraudulent or ineligible enrollments, debating that eligibility criteria remain unchanged. Although the overall percentage of insured individuals remained consistent, the actual number of uninsured grew by approximately 800,000, including 300,000 children, due to population growth.
The survey suggests a possibly higher insured rate among Hispanic Americans, potentially influenced by immigration policy implementations. Most Americans over 65 access health coverage through Medicare, while younger individuals often rely on a mix of public and private options.
Historically, the uninsured rate for those under 65 rose from 12% in 1980 to over 18% in 2010. Following the Affordable Care Act in 2010, the rate dropped nearly to 10% by 2016, rising again to 11-12% during the first Trump administration according to CDC data. Government measures during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in falling uninsured rates, reaching an all-time low below 9% in 2023.
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 bears sole responsibility for its content.