Insurance coverage is often treated as the gateway to health care in the United States. Yet coverage alone does not guarantee that a patient can obtain the care a physician recommends. In 2024, an estimated 27.1 million people, or 8 percent of the U.S. population, did not have health insurance at any point during the year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The burden was considerably greater among people living in poverty.
The question of access becomes more complicated when health care extends beyond a primary care appointment. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies housing, transportation, and access to nutritious food as factors that influence health outcomes, while noting that inadequate transportation can also limit consistent access to health care. These factors can determine whether patients are able to attend appointments, obtain medications, maintain treatment plans, and manage chronic conditions over time.
