Washington, D.C. —  A new report from the Commonwealth Fund reveals that the share of U.S. adults without health insurance has increased to the highest proportion since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) took effect in 2014, surging from a record low of 8.9% in 2024 to 11.2% in 2026. The report also found that half of American adults are going without needed care due to cost. This comes on the heels of Trump and Republicans’ rampant sabotage agenda, which has sent health care costs spiraling and kicked millions of their coverage. With the deepest cuts and new restrictions not taking effect till 2027, the worst is yet to come. 

Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach released the following statement: 

“After years of progress getting more Americans covered than ever before and giving families peace of mind and financial security, Trump and Republicans are taking this country backward. The uninsured rate has jumped to a level not seen since before the Affordable Care Act because Trump and Republicans chose to put billionaires and big corporations first. Now, families are facing skyrocketing premiums, mounting medical bills, and going without coverage altogether. They’re being forced to put off seeing a doctor, skip prescriptions, or gamble with their health because they can’t afford care. And it’s only going to get worse as millions more Americans are expected to lose their health insurance as the full force of Republican cuts takes hold. This is a damning report on Donald Trump and Republicans’ health care agenda, which is making it harder to afford and access care for working families across the country. The only way to fix this is through the choices that Americans make in November.” 

Background:

  • The share share of uninsured working-age Americans rose to 11.2% in 2026, compared with 8.9% in 2024, 
  • The uninsured rate for young adults ages 19–34 rose from 11% to 16% over the past two years.
  • Nearly half of working-age adults, 46%, were inadequately insured in 2026: 11% were uninsured, 12% had a coverage gap during the year, and 23% were underinsured, meaning they had coverage but their plan didn’t provide affordable access to care.
  • More people delayed or avoided getting health care because of the cost, with the rate climbing from 46% in 2022 to 50% in 2026.