Uninsured Population Grew in 2024, First Increase Since 2019
The number and share of Americans without health insurance increased in 2024, marking the first rise since 2019, according to KFF's analysis of American Community Survey data. The growth in uninsured individuals follows the end of Medicaid continuous enrollment protections that expired in March 2023, resulting in millions of eligibility redeterminations across states. The increase reverses a five-year trend of declining uninsurance rates and signals potential coverage losses that disproportionately affect low-income populations eligible for Medicaid. This shift has immediate implications for uncompensated care costs and emergency department utilization that MCOs and safety-net providers must absorb.
Rising uninsured rates following Medicaid unwinding indicate MCOs face shifting enrollment patterns, increased churn, and potential uncompensated care exposure as previously covered populations lose eligibility or fail to reenroll.
Managed Care · Finance
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