This statistic was assembled from several editions of the same report. Due to changes in survey methodology, estimates from 2013 through 2017 are not directly comparable to previous years.
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Percentage of U.S. Americans covered by Medicaid 1990-2024
The percentage of Americans covered by the Medicaid public health insurance plan decreased from **** percent in 2021 to around **** percent in 2024. However, the percentage of those insured through Medicaid remains lower than the peak of **** percent in 2015.Â
The expansion of Medicaid
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) provided the option for states to expand Medicaid eligibility to people whose income was below a particular threshold. The ACA’s major coverage expansion came into force in 2014, and the number of individuals estimated to be enrolled in Medicaid has since surpassed ** million. More than ** million children were enrolled in the program in 2018, representing ** percent of overall Medicaid enrollment.
State Medicaid coverage
Initially, the ACA mandated that all state Medicaid programs would have to be extended to provide medical coverage to nearly all low-income groups. However, the Supreme Court rejected that part of the act in 2012, leaving the door open for states to make their own decision on whether they expand their plans. As of September 2021, ** states plus the District of Columbia have adopted the Medicaid expansion.
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U.S. Census Bureau. (September 9, 2025). Percentage of people covered by Medicaid in the United States from 1990 to 2024 [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Retrieved July 30, 2026, from /statistics/200960/percentage-of-americans-covered-by-medicaid/
U.S. Census Bureau. "Percentage of people covered by Medicaid in the United States from 1990 to 2024." Chart. September 9, 2025. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Accessed July 30, 2026. /statistics/200960/percentage-of-americans-covered-by-medicaid/
U.S. Census Bureau. (2025). Percentage of people covered by Medicaid in the United States from 1990 to 2024. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 30, 2026. /statistics/200960/percentage-of-americans-covered-by-medicaid/
U.S. Census Bureau. "Percentage of People Covered by Medicaid in The United States from 1990 to 2024." ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc., 9 Sep 2025, /statistics/200960/percentage-of-americans-covered-by-medicaid/
U.S. Census Bureau, Percentage of people covered by Medicaid in the United States from 1990 to 2024 ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, /statistics/200960/percentage-of-americans-covered-by-medicaid/ (last visited July 30, 2026)
Percentage of people covered by Medicaid in the United States from 1990 to 2024 [Graph], U.S. Census Bureau, September 9, 2025. [Online]. Available: /statistics/200960/percentage-of-americans-covered-by-medicaid/