Findings from the Commonwealth Fund Biennial Health Insurance Survey

The number and percentage of Americans lacking health insurance is falling to historic lows, thanks to policy changes aimed at helping people get and stay covered during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the recent decision by several states to expand Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act. Still, a large number of people in the United States remain uninsured or inadequately covered, a situation that will worsen when some temporary pandemic measures expire.

In this data brief, we present findings from the Commonwealth Fund Biennial Health Insurance Survey to describe the state of Americans’ health insurance coverage in 2022. We answer the following questions:

  • How many people experience gaps in their coverage, and how long are those gaps?
  • How many people have insurance but are underinsured?
  • Are health care costs affecting people’s decision to get needed care?
  • Are these costs leaving people with medical bills they cannot pay?

For the survey, SSRS interviewed a nationally representative sample of 8,022 adults age 19 and older between March 28 and July 4, 2022. This analysis focuses on 6,301 respondents under age 65. Note that because the 2022 edition of the Biennial Health Insurance Survey employed a new sampling method and was conducted mostly online rather than by telephone, as in the past, we are unable to present data on trends in responses over the years. To learn more about our survey, including the revised sampling method, see “How We Conducted This Survey.”