The US, with a gross national product of $31,883 billion, is the only developed country without a universal healthcare system. While the federal government subsidizes healthcare through Medicare and Medicaid, they only support a certain margin of the population. For 65 years and older, there’s Medicare. And for people with limited income, the federal government and the state subsidizes people who belong to this category through Medicaid. The rest of the population do not have access to a universal, federally-funded healthcare other than private healthcare corporations.
Statistics of US Citizens Without Healthcare
According to the Congressional Budget Office, it is projected that 35 million without healthcare will continue to rise in 2029. In a ten-year period, from 2019-2029, it was estimated by the same office that 40 per cent to 45 per cent account for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). CHIP is a program that caters to healthcare for children who are not qualified for Medicaid because of income above the threshold, and yet cannot afford private insurance.
Healthcare Premium Statistics
Amidst all of these, families in the US experience a rise in healthcare premiums. In 2005, the average annual premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance were $2,713 for single coverage and $8,167 for family coverage. Ten years after, in 2015, premiums doubled to $6,251 for employer-sponsored single coverage and $17,545 for employer-sponsored family coverage. In 2025, the single coverage has ballooned to $9,325 and for employer-sponsored family coverage, rose to $26,993. Employee contributions account 16% of total premiums, while the rest are subsidized by employers.
People Uninsured by Age Group
In a 2022-2023 census data by the US Census Bureau, the age group with the highest incidence of being uninsured is between 19-25 years, which are the college age group of the population. This is then followed at around 12.5-12.6% by ages 26-34 years old. What this suggests that that a large portion of the population aged 19-44 years old are uninsured.
Uninsured Percentage by US State
According to the same data, Massachusetts recorded the most insured rate for a state. Meanwhile Texas is at the bottom with the highest rate of uninsured population. The numbers prove that there is a large number of people who are uninsured in the US.
The Value of Healthcare
Healthcare is a fundamental right of an individual. While the universal healthcare is still being pushed in the US, with setbacks from private healthcare corporations which benefit from privatized healthcare, it is essential to buy a healthcare policy for the protection of one’s health and family.
References:
(2019, May 2). Federal Subsidies for Health Insurance Coverage for People Under Age 65: 2019 to 2029. Congressional Budget Office. https://www.cbo.gov/publication/55085
Berchick, E.R, Jessica, B. C., Upton, R.D. (2019, November 8). Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2018. United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2019/demo/p60-267.html
The US Healthcare System: An International Perspective. Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO. https://www.dpeaflcio.org/factsheets/the-us-health-care-system-an-international-perspective
