Where Health Insurance Comes From in the United States

About half of people in the United States have private health insurance through an employer. However, the other half get their insurance from elsewhere or through a combination of sources.

This is where everyone gets their coverage from, based on the 2023 American Community Survey. Square size indicates the number of people with a coverage type. Color represents type.

Private Insurance Only

Private insurance, whether through an employer or purchased directly, is the most common by far.

Public Insurance Only

Those without employers or low income receive aid from the government programs, namely Medicaid and Medicare.

Combination of Public and Private

As people grow older, it is common to have a combination of public and private coverage, such as when one spouse works and the other retires.

No Coverage

8% of people have no health insurance.

Notes

The data comes from the 2023 one-year American Community Survey, which I downloaded via IPUMS. I made the charts in R.