Health Insurance Coverage Trends 2023: Key Insights from National Health Interview Survey

The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Early Release Program for 2023 provides updated estimates on health insurance coverage in the U.S. In 2023, 7.6% of people were uninsured, a decrease from 8.4% in 2022. Among adults aged 18-64, the uninsured rate dropped to 10.9% from 12.2% the previous year. Public health insurance coverage among this group increased to 23.0%, while private coverage remained stable at 68.1%.

For children aged 0-17, the uninsured rate slightly decreased to 3.9%. Public coverage for children rose to 44.2%, and private coverage remained nearly unchanged at 54.0%. The data highlights disparities based on income levels, with the uninsured rates significantly higher among adults with lower family incomes. Among adults with incomes below 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL), the uninsured rate was 20.2%, compared to 4.3% for those with incomes above 400% FPL.

State Medicaid expansion status also played a crucial role. Adults in Medicaid expansion states had lower uninsured rates (8.3%) compared to those in non-expansion states (16.8%). These findings underscore the importance of public health initiatives and Medicaid expansion in reducing the uninsured population and increasing access to healthcare.