CDC DATA SIGNAL POTENTIAL COVERAGE LOSSES AS POLICY DECISIONS THREATEN ACCESS TO CARE

The following information was released by the American Heart Association (AHA):

The American Heart Association highlights stalled progress, critical need to expand access to affordable, quality health care

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today released estimates of health insurance coverage based on data from the 2025 National Health Interview Survey. Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association, a global force changing the future of health for all, issued the following statement:

New data show the uninsured rate remained largely unchanged between 2024 and 2025, following coverage gains in previous years. While the share of people without insurance in the United States declined from 9.2% in 2021 to 8.3% in 2025, those improvements are fragile, and policy decisions made in Washington and state capitals will determine whether health insurance is accessible and affordable to millions of people nationwide for years to come.

These data reflect coverage levels before Congress allowed enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to expire, and before passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which cut Medicaid funding by billions of dollars and imposed new administrative burdens on patients enrolling in Medicaid and the ACA marketplaces. Early data suggest these changes are taking effect, with initial reports indicating that declines in marketplace enrollment and coverage losses have begun. Those actions are putting quality, affordable health care out of reach for millions of people in America.

Health coverage matters. As outlined in the American Heart Associations health care reform principles and reinforced in our recent Presidential Advisory on health care affordability, when coverage is affordable and stable, people are more likely to see a doctor, get preventive care and manage chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease. When it is not, people delay or go without care, putting their health and financial well-being at risk and placing further strain on the health system.

The decisions being made now in Congress, state legislatures and state Medicaid agencies will determine what happens next. Policymakers should act immediately to protect and expand access to affordable coverage, strengthen Medicaid and maintain pathways that make coverage and care accessible. Without deliberate action, including reversing dramatic cuts to coverage, uninsured rates will continue to rise, putting quality health care further out of reach. The American Heart Association remains committed to working with lawmakers to advance solutions that improve access to care, reduce financial barriers and support longer, healthier lives for all.

Additional Resources:

American Heart Association news release:Health care costs reach a breaking point

Health Care Affordability in the United States, From Crisis to Action

American Heart Association news release:Population shifts, risk factors may triple U.S. cardiovascular disease costs by 2050

American Heart Association news release:6 in 10 U.S. women projected to have at least one type of cardiovascular disease by 2050

Forecasting the Economic Burden of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke in the United States Through 2050: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association | Circulation

Advancing Healthcare Reform: The American Heart Associations 2020 Statement of Principles for Adequate, Accessible and Affordable Health Care: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association | Circulation

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