
Percentage of people covered by Medicare in the United States from 1990 to 2020
Characteristic | Percentage of population |
'20 | 18.4 % |
'19 | 18.1 % |
'18 | 17.8 % |
'17 | 17.4 % |
What percentage of Americans have Medicare?
The uninsured rate peaked in 1998 and again in 2010 to 16.3% before falling to a low of 7.9% in 2017. Much of that change came after the Affordable Care Act (ACA) went into effect. Employers cover most people in the United States, though the share of who they cover has dropped from 64.1% of people in 1999 to 55.1% of people in 2018.
What percentage of people are Medicaid?
The percentage of Americans covered by the Medicaid public health insurance plan increased slightly from 2019 to around 17.8 percent in 2020. However the percentage of those insured through Medicaid remains lower than the peak of 19.6 percent in 2015.
How many people are covered by Medicare?
Your Medicare eligibility and your Medicare coverage start date depend on your personal situation, so be sure to check with healthcare.gov to determine your eligibility. What is Medicare? Medicare provides health insurance to nearly 63 million Americans in 2021. 1
How many people are enrolled in Medicare by state?
They are the only three states whose Medicare members exceed four million. Of course, California holding the title of most populous state translates to a higher Medicare population. Nonetheless, nearly 16% of its massive population of 39.5 million has Medicare, totaling about 6.3 million individuals.

What percent of the population is on Medicare?
Currently, 44 million beneficiaries—some 15 percent of the U.S. population—are enrolled in the Medicare program. Enrollment is expected to rise to 79 million by 2030.
What populations does Medicare cover?
Medicare is the federal health insurance program for: People who are 65 or older. Certain younger people with disabilities. People with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant, sometimes called ESRD)
How many elderly people in the US are covered by Medicare?
Medicare covers 55 million Americans, about 17 percent of the U.S. population. Its beneficiaries are the nation's oldest, sickest, and most disabled citizens. Three-quarters of them have one or more chronic conditions, and one-quarter rate their health as fair or poor.
What percentage of the US population is on Medicare and Medicaid?
Of the subtypes of health insurance coverage, employment-based insurance was the most common, covering 54.4 percent of the population for some or all of the calendar year, followed by Medicare (18.4 percent), Medicaid (17.8 percent), direct-purchase coverage (10.5 percent), TRICARE (2.8 percent), and Department of ...
How many Americans qualify for Medicare?
How many Americans are covered by Medicare? Nearly 64 million Americans are currently covered by Medicare, and funding for the program accounted for more than 4% of the U.S. gross domestic product in 2020.
What percentage of seniors are covered by Medicare?
Most Americans are automatically entitled, on reaching age 65, to health insurance benefits under the Medicare program. Today almost 96 percent of the nation's elderly have Medicare coverage.
Who uses the most Medicare?
The majority (83%) of Medicare beneficiaries are ages 65 and older, while 17 percent are under age 65 and qualify for Medicare because of a permanent disability. However, a much larger share of black (31%) and Hispanic beneficiaries (23%) than white beneficiaries (14%) are under age 65 and living with disabilities.
What percentage of the US population is over 70?
They represented 15.2% of the population, about one in every seven Americans. The number of older Americans increased by 12.1 million or 33% since 2006, compared to an increase of 5% for the under-65 population.
What percentage of Medicare enrollees are poor?
It is estimated that about 25 percent of Medicare enrollees are in fair/poor health. But there are lots of questions about who should pay for or help with elderly care long-term. In a recent survey of U.S. adults, about half of the respondents said that health insurance companies should pay for elderly care.
What is Medicare 2020?
Get in touch with us now. , Oct 9, 2020. Medicare is an important public health insurance scheme for U.S. adults aged 65 years and over. As of 2019, approximately 18 percent of the U.S. population was covered by Medicare, a slight increase from the previous year. As of 2018, California, Florida, and Texas had the largest number ...
Is the 2013 survey comparable to 2017?
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.
Is Medicare a poor program?
Despite a majority of the Medicare enrollees being above the federal poverty line, there are still several programs in place to help cover the costs of healthcare for the elderly. Opinions on elderly care in the U.S. It is estimated that about 25 percent of Medicare enrollees are in fair/poor health.
How many people are enrolled in Medicare by state?
Overall, California, Florida and Texas have the highest number of people enrolled in Medicare. They are the only three states whose Medicare members exceed four million.
How to find Medicare population by state?
In order to see a complete list of Medicare populations by state, visit the website of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
What is Medicare health plan?
As often as monthly, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services keep tabs on trends in the Medicare population by: Generally meant by the term Medicare health plan are Medicare-approved health insurance products that works in addition to having Original Medicare.
What is Medicare Supplement?
Medicare Supplement (Medigap) – Supplements help pay expenses for hospital and medical services left by Original Medicare, with each Medigap plan standardized to cover specific expenses like deductibles, co-pays, and co-insurance.
What is Medicare count?
Counting Medicare enrollees per year and per month. Generally meant by the term Medicare health plan are Medicare-approved health insurance products that works in addition to having Original Medicare. As a means of getting benefits that can exceed Medicare, you can choose from Medicare health plans: Medicare Advantage (Part C) ...
How many people are on medicare in 2020?
About 19 million people enrolled when Medicare first started. By 2020, that number grew to nearly 63 million. Overall, how many people per state enroll in Medicare?
What is the number to call for Medicare?
Dial (800) 950-0608 with your Medicare questions. With the aim of helping older Americans buy health insurance, Medicare became part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “Great Society” vision created in 1965. Although Medicare eligibility has nothing to do with income levels, it can provide healthcare both for Americans with disabilities as well as ...
What are the parts of Medicare?
Medicare is structured in three parts: Part A, B , and D. Medicare Advantage Plans are often referred to as Part C. Part A mainly covers hospital and skilled nursing facility costs, Part B covers mostly outpatient care, and Part D covers prescription medications. All 3 of these parts allow people to have more flexibility when choosing healthcare providers. Generally, people can choose whatever doctor or hospital they want as long as that provider is enrolled in Medicare.
How is Medicare funded?
Medicare is funded mainly by taxpayers. In particular, it is funded by income tax paid into the Social Security and Medicare fund and partly by premiums that Medicare participants pay. Additional payment depends on the type of plan.
What is Medicare Advantage?
There are two main plans: Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans. Original Medicare is paid for by the federal government but does not include prescription drug coverage. Medicare Advantage Plans are different. They are Medicare-approved plans offered through private insurance companies that often include prescription drug coverage with a monthly premium.
Why do people choose Medicare Supplement Plans?
Some people choose Medicare Supplement Plans in addition to Original Medicare to bridge the gaps in coverage and reduce their out-of-pocket payments. Others may choose a Medicare Advantage Plan as an alternative to Original Medicare.
What is Medicare insurance?
Medicare is the federal health insurance plan designed to help certain populations meet their health care needs. Medicare is like a regular private insurance plan, except the government runs it. Specifically, it is run by a federal agency called the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). While many people confuse Medicare ...
When do you get Medicare?
While the exact method of enrolling in Medicare differs depending on the population, most people get Medicare by enrolling in Social Security right before they turn 65. If you already get Social Security benefits, you will automatically be enrolled in Medicare at age 65. After you sign up for Medicare, you will receive your Welcome ...
Is Medicare the same as Medicaid?
While many people confuse Medicare and Medicaid, the two are, in fact, different. Medicare is for older people or people with disabilities, while Medicaid is for people with limited incomes. Read more to learn more about the basics of Medicare.
What percentage of Medicare beneficiaries are black?
In 7 states (Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina), at least 20 percent of all Medicare beneficiaries are black—at least twice ...
When was the distribution of race/ethnicity of Medicare beneficiaries?
Distribution of Race/Ethnicity of Medicare Beneficiaries By Medicaid Enrollment (Dually Eligible), 2011
What is the health status of Medicare beneficiaries?
Measures of Medicare beneficiaries’ health status differ for beneficiaries of different racial and ethnic groups ( Figure 8; Table 3 ). For example, more than one third of all black and Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries (37% and 36%, respectively) report being in fair or poor health, compared to roughly one fourth (24%) of white beneficiaries. About four in 10 black beneficiaries (41%) lives with a functional impairment, defined as having one or more limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs) such as eating or bathing, a larger share than Hispanic and white beneficiaries with functional impairments (36% and 34%, respectively). A larger share of Hispanic (37%) and black (34%) beneficiaries than white beneficiaries (29%) has a cognitive or mental impairment. Poorer health status among black and Hispanic beneficiaries may reflect the disproportionate share of beneficiaries under age 65 with permanent disabilities in these groups, as shown earlier (see Figure 3).
What was the median income for Medicare beneficiaries in 2014?
In 2014, half of all Medicare beneficiaries had incomes below $24,150 ( Figure 6 ). Median per capita income was substantially lower for black and Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries ($16,150 and $12,800, respectively) than for white beneficiaries ($27,450). 6
What is the education level of Medicare beneficiaries?
The education level of Medicare beneficiaries varies by race and ethnicity , with a significantly larger share of black and Hispanic beneficiaries than white beneficiaries having less than a high school education (38%, 46%, and 17%, respectively) ( Figure 4, Table 2 ). Smaller shares of black and Hispanic beneficiaries than white beneficiaries have some college education (24%, 21%, and 30%, respectively) or a college degree (11%, 9%, and 23%, respectively).
What is Medicare Part D?
The Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit is an important source of drug coverage for Medicare beneficiaries. More than half of all Medicare beneficiaries (57%) were enrolled in a Part D drug plan in 2011, but a larger share of black (66%) and Hispanic (71%) beneficiaries than white beneficiaries (55%) had Part D drug coverage ( Figure 13 ). A smaller share of white beneficiaries may be enrolled in Part D than other beneficiaries because they are more likely to have drug coverage through an employer-sponsored plan (see Figure 10). Medicare beneficiaries with low income and modest assets may qualify for additional financial premium and cost-sharing assistance through the Part D low-income subsidy (LIS) program. Nearly half of all black beneficiaries (46%) and more than one third of all Hispanic beneficiaries (38%) receive LIS under Part D, larger than the share of white beneficiaries with LIS (17%), due to lower levels of income and assets among black and Hispanic beneficiaries.
How much did Medicare save in 2014?
In 2014, half of all Medicare beneficiaries had less than $63,350 in savings, but the amount of median per capita savings was seven times greater for white beneficiaries ($91,950) than black or Hispanic beneficiaries ($12,350 and $9,800, respectively) ( Figure 7 ). 7 Nearly all Medicare beneficiaries had some amount of savings (92%), but savings rates were higher among white beneficiaries (95%) than among black and Hispanic beneficiaries (80% and 76%, respectively). Among those with any savings, the median savings amount was roughly five times higher for white beneficiaries ($102,500) than for black and Hispanic beneficiaries ($22,200 and $23,000, respectively).
