Haris Ashley
Medicaid is a key source of health insurance coverage for low-income populations in the United States, including children and seniors. As of December 2024, 78,532,341 people were enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Programs) across 50 states and the District of Columbia. This accounts for about 18.8% to 21% of the population, with rates varying across states. For instance, in 2025, the percentage of people with Medicaid coverage ranged from 11% in Utah to 34% in New Mexico. Medicaid provides essential benefits such as non-emergency medical transportation and comprehensive services for children, known as Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT). It is jointly financed by states and the federal government but administered by states within broad federal guidelines.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of Americans with Medicaid insurance | 18.8% (2022), 18.9% (2023) |
| Number of people enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP (Dec 2024) | 78,532,341 |
| Number of children enrolled in Medicaid (Dec 2024) | 37,315,827 |
| Percentage of children enrolled in Medicaid (Dec 2024) | 47.5% |
| Percentage of Americans with Medicaid insurance (nationally) | 21% |
| Medicaid coverage for children (2023) | Nearly 4 in 10 |
| Medicaid coverage for adults (2023) | 1 in 6 |
| Medicaid coverage for children in poverty (2023) | Over 8 in 10 |
| Medicaid coverage for adults in poverty (2023) | Almost half |
| Medicaid coverage for adults with disabilities (ages 19-64) | More than 1 in 4 |
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What You'll Learn
- Medicaid beneficiaries have better access to care than the uninsured
- Medicaid covers 1 in 5 Americans
- Seniors and individuals with disabilities account for 23% of enrollment
- Medicaid is jointly financed by states and the federal government
- Medicaid covers a higher share of Black, Hispanic, and Native Americans
Medicaid beneficiaries have better access to care than the uninsured
Medicaid is jointly financed by states and the federal government, but it is administered by individual states. This means that there is significant variation across states in program spending and the share of residents covered. Overall, Medicaid covers one-fifth of people living in the United States, or 83 million people. This amounts to 18.8% of the population. The percentage of people who report having Medicaid is 21% nationally, but this ranges from 11% in Utah to 34% in New Mexico.
Medicaid beneficiaries have substantially better access to care than people who are uninsured. They are less likely to postpone or go without necessary care due to cost, as federal rules generally limit out-of-pocket Medicaid costs. Medicaid beneficiaries access healthcare at rates comparable to those for privately insured people and at sharply higher rates than the uninsured. For example, 95% of children covered by Medicaid have a usual source of care, compared to 69% of uninsured children. Similarly, nearly 90% of non-elderly adults with Medicaid have a usual source of care, while less than half of uninsured adults do.
Research has shown that Medicaid eligibility during childhood is associated with positive health effects, such as reduced avoidable hospitalizations and mortality. Children enrolled in Medicaid are significantly more likely to receive well-child care and significantly less likely to have unmet or delayed needs for medical care, dental care, and prescription drugs due to costs. The research findings on adults generally mirror the patterns for children. For example, non-elderly adults covered by Medicaid are more likely than uninsured adults to report healthcare visits overall and less likely to delay or go without needed medical care because of costs.
Medicaid expansions have also been shown to improve beneficiaries' self-reported health, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve quality of life. The Oregon Health Insurance Experiment found that Medicaid improved self-reported mental health and reduced clinically observed rates of depression by 30% relative to the uninsured group.
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Medicaid covers 1 in 5 Americans
Medicaid is a health insurance program that is jointly financed by states and the federal government but administered by states within broad federal rules. It is a lifeline for many groups, including children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. As of December 2024, 78,532,341 people were enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP across the 50 states and the District of Columbia, with 37,315,827 of these being children. This represented 47.5% of total Medicaid and CHIP program enrollment.
Medicaid provides benefits not usually covered by health insurance, including non-emergency medical transportation and comprehensive benefits for children, known as Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) services. Seniors and individuals with disabilities account for 23% of enrollment but 51% of spending, while children account for 34% of enrollment but only 14% of spending. Spending per enrollee was highest for those aged 65 and older ($18,923) and eligible due to disability ($18,437).
Medicaid beneficiaries have better access to care than uninsured people, who are primarily low-income, and are less likely to postpone or go without necessary treatment due to costs. Key measures of access to care for Medicaid enrollees are generally comparable to rates for people with private insurance. However, gaps in access to certain providers, such as psychiatrists and dentists, remain a challenge in the Medicaid system.
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Seniors and individuals with disabilities account for 23% of enrollment
Medicaid is jointly financed by states and the federal government, with the latter administering the program within broad federal rules. As of December 2024, 37,315,827 children were enrolled in Medicaid, representing 47.5% of total Medicaid and CHIP program enrollment. This figure includes only those eligible for comprehensive benefits, such as non-emergency medical transportation and Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) services for children.
Medicaid is a critical source of coverage for specific populations, including seniors and individuals with disabilities, who together account for 23% of enrollment. Seniors and people with disabilities often have higher healthcare costs than other enrollees due to more complex healthcare needs, higher rates of chronic conditions, and a greater likelihood of requiring long-term care. Spending per enrollee was highest for those aged 65 and older ($18,923) and those eligible due to disability ($18,437).
Medicaid covers a higher proportion of Black, Hispanic, and American Indian or Alaska Native (AIAN) children and adults compared to their White counterparts. It is also a vital source of coverage for adults aged 19-64 with disabilities, defined as having one or more difficulties related to hearing, vision, cognition, ambulation, self-care, or independent living.
Medicaid beneficiaries have significantly better access to care than the uninsured, who are predominantly low-income. They are less likely to delay or forgo necessary treatment due to cost, as federal rules typically limit out-of-pocket expenses. However, gaps in access to certain providers, such as psychiatrists and dentists, remain a challenge within the Medicaid system.
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Medicaid is jointly financed by states and the federal government
Medicaid is a primary source of health insurance coverage for around 83 million low-income people in the United States, accounting for about one-fifth of healthcare spending. It is jointly financed by states and the federal government but administered by individual states within broad federal rules. This means that states have the flexibility to determine what populations and services to cover, how to deliver care, and how much to reimburse providers. This flexibility results in significant variation across states in program spending and the share of state residents covered by the program. For instance, the percentage of people who report having Medicaid is 21% nationally, but ranges from 11% in Utah to 34% in New Mexico.
The percentage of costs paid by the federal government is known as the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) and varies across states, specific services, types of enrollees, and whether the costs are for medical care or program administration. The federal government provides a match rate of at least 50%, and a higher match rate for states with lower average per capita income. States that have implemented the Affordable Care Act (ACA) expansion currently receive a 90% FMAP for adults covered through the ACA Medicaid expansion. States that had not adopted the expansion as of 2021 when the American Rescue Plan Act was enacted are eligible for a 5% increase in the state’s traditional FMAP for two years if they implement the expansion. Administrative costs incurred by states are usually matched by the federal government at a 50% rate, but some functions such as eligibility and enrollment systems receive higher match rates.
States can use provider taxes and intergovernmental transfers (IGTs) to help finance the state share of Medicaid. States have flexibility in determining how to finance the non-federal share of state Medicaid payments, within certain limits. In addition to state general funds appropriated directly to the Medicaid program, most states use funding from local governments or revenue collected from provider taxes and fees to help finance the state share of Medicaid. While data are limited, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimated that provider taxes accounted for approximately 17% of the non-federal share of total Medicaid payments in SFY 2018, though the share varies by state. All states (except Alaska) have at least one provider tax in place, and many have more than three. The most common provider taxes are on nursing facilities (46 states) and hospitals (45 states).
Medicaid provides a major source of funding for the US and is a lifeline for many groups, including children and seniors. It offers benefits not usually covered by health insurance, including non-emergency medical transportation, which helps enrollees get to appointments, and comprehensive benefits for children, known as Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) services. Seniors and individuals with disabilities account for 23% of enrollment but 51% of spending, whereas children account for 34% of enrollment but only 14% of spending.
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Medicaid covers a higher share of Black, Hispanic, and Native Americans
Medicaid is a health insurance program that is jointly financed by states and the federal government. It covers about 21% of the population nationally, but this varies from 11% in Utah to 34% in New Mexico. Overall, Medicaid is the second most common health insurance subtype in the US, after employment-based insurance.
Medicaid helps to narrow these coverage disparities, particularly for children. For instance, between 2019 and 2023, coverage gains driven by increases in Medicaid enrollment helped reduce differences in uninsured rates for Hispanic, Black, and AIAN people compared to White people. However, these gains may be at risk due to potential Medicaid cuts and the expiration of pandemic-era protections.
Medicaid expansion has also helped to narrow racial disparities in health coverage and access to care. For example, a 2018 JAMA study found that Medicaid expansion was associated with reductions in mortality from end-stage renal disease, with particularly significant improvements for Black people, who are at higher risk for kidney failure. Additionally, in a survey of enrollees in Michigan's Medicaid expansion program, Black people reported the largest drop in the number of days of poor physical health among any racial or ethnic group.
In conclusion, while Medicaid covers a higher share of Black, Hispanic, and Native Americans, this is partly due to the existence of longstanding, harmful racial disparities in coverage, access to care, and health outcomes.
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Frequently asked questions
18.9% of Americans have Medicaid insurance. This amounts to about 78,532,341 people and includes over 40% of children.
Medicaid is a health insurance program that is jointly financed by states and the federal government but administered by states within broad federal rules. It is a lifeline for many low-income groups, including children and seniors.
The percentage of people who report having Medicaid ranges from 11% in Utah to 34% in New Mexico. Rates of Medicaid coverage are generally higher in states with lower average incomes and lower rates of health insurance offered by employers.
Medicaid covers a wide range of services, including non-emergency medical transportation and comprehensive benefits for children, known as Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) services. It also covers long-term care, which accounts for 51% of spending.
Employment-based insurance is the most common type of health insurance in the US, covering 53.7% of the population. Medicaid is the second most common type, followed by Medicare, direct-purchase coverage, TRICARE, and VA and CHAMPVA coverage.
