8 pct of Americans lack health insurance, new study reveals

The study, published on the website of The Commonwealth Fund, found that uninsured rates are even higher among Hispanics, Black Americans, American Indian and Alaska Native communities, low-income groups, and residents of states that have not expanded Medicaid eligibility.

Researchers warned that recent federal policy changes could increase the number of uninsured Americans by an additional 17 million by 2034, potentially resulting in more than 50,000 preventable deaths annually.

In contrast, Mexico’s recently established Universal Health Service is set to provide all residents with access to free healthcare at any public health institution beginning in 2027.

The report also highlighted a severe shortage of primary care physicians in the United States. The country has just 0.3 primary care doctors per 1,000 people — less than half the OECD average of 1.1. The U.S. also produces only 8.6 new physicians per 100,000 people annually, compared to the OECD average of 14.5 and Denmark’s leading rate of 21.

Researchers attributed the growing strain on the healthcare workforce to high medical school tuition fees, limited residency training positions, chronic underinvestment in primary care, and widespread physician burnout.

The study further revealed that Americans pay substantially more out of pocket for prescription drugs than citizens of most other developed nations. On average, Americans spend more than $400 per person annually on prescription medications, compared to less than $100 in countries such as France.

High out-of-pocket medical costs often force Americans to skip filling prescriptions, delay treatment, or avoid seeking care altogether, the report noted.

“The U.S. continues to experience stark racial and geographic disparities in health outcomes,” the study said.

The United States also recorded the highest maternal mortality rate among the countries examined in the study, with nearly 19 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023. By comparison, 11 of the 18 countries studied — including Israel, Switzerland and Sweden — reported fewer than five maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.

For Black women in the United States, the maternal mortality rate rises sharply to 50 deaths per 100,000 live births, far exceeding the rates recorded in any other country included in the analysis.