Kansas Uninsured Rate Among Children Rose to Highest Level in More Than a Decade

Uninsured rate also rose among Kansans below 138 percent of the federal poverty level

5 Min Read

Sep 11, 2025

By

Kaci Cink, M.P.H., Viktoria Sterkhova, M.P.H., Wen-Chieh Lin, Ph.D.

TOPEKA, KANSAS, September 2025 –The rate of Kansas children without health insurance climbed in 2024 to its highest level in more than a decade, according to new data released today by the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS). 

In Kansas, children’s uninsured rates have historically been close to the national rate, but the gap widened in 2024. The share of uninsured children in Kansas rose from 5.6 percent in 2023 to 7.0 percent in 2024, the highest since 2013. The national rate also increased but remained lower at 6.0 percent. 

Kansans making less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), the cutoff for Medicaid eligibility for adults age 19-64 in states that have expanded under the terms of the Affordable Care Act, also saw a widening gap between the Kansas rate and the national rate. In 2024, 18.4 percent of Kansans in this group lacked coverage, up from 16.1 percent in 2023, and higher than the 14.0 percent national rate.  

For the fourth consecutive year, the overall Kansas uninsured rate was higher than the national uninsured rate. The Kansas rate in 2024, at 8.5 percent, was statistically unchanged from 2023 (8.4 percent). The uninsured rate in the U.S. was 8.2 percent in 2024, compared to 7.9 percent in 2023. The 2024 rate represents 27 million uninsured Americans. For this same time period, approximately 250,000 Kansans were uninsured.   

The latest information available reflects data collected in 2024, when enrollment on the federally facilitated health insurance marketplace increased and unwinding of COVID-19 era continuous Medicaid eligibility wrapped up in Kansas. The national Medicaid unwinding period spanned from April 2023 through as late as June 2025, while Kansas completed its unwinding process on May 31, 2024. 

“Advocates and observers were concerned about how Medicaid unwinding would affect insurance coverage for children,” said Kari Bruffett, President and CEO, Kansas Health Institute. “The new data release confirms that the uninsured rate for children increased significantly in 2024.”  

Key information from the 2024 ACS data release: 

  • Kansas Children – Kansas children are more likely to be uninsured than their counterparts nationally (7.0 percent in Kansas compared to 6.0 percent for the U.S.). The uninsured rate for Kansas children rose significantly, from 5.6 percent in 2023 to 7.0 percent in 2024. Nationally, the rate also increased significantly, from 5.4 percent to 6.0 percent. 
  • Kansans With Low Income – Kansans living below 138 percent of the federal poverty level (the threshold to qualify for Medicaid eligibility in expansion states) were more likely to be uninsured than those with similar circumstances in the U.S. (18.4 percent in Kansas, compared to 14.0 percent in the U.S.). The uninsured rate for this group of Kansans rose significantly from 16.1 percent in 2023. Nationwide and in Kansas, the uninsured rate among those living below 138 percent of the poverty level significantly increased in 2024. 
  • Race and Ethnicity Disparities – Among Hispanic Kansans of any race, the uninsured rate (22.0 percent) was nearly four times higher than the rate for non-Hispanic White Kansans (5.8 percent), and higher than the rate for Hispanic Americans in the U.S. as a whole (17.0 percent). Among Black or African American Kansans, the uninsured rate (11.4 percent) was nearly two times higher than that of non-Hispanic White Kansans, and higher than the national rate (8.9 percent) for the Black or African American population. 
  • Young Adults – The uninsured rate among individuals ages 19-25 remained similar in the U.S. (14.0 percent in 2024 and 13.1 percent in 2023), and in Kansas (14.2 percent in 2024 and 14.0 percent in 2023). 
  • Working-Age Adults – The uninsured rate for adults ages 19-64 in Kansas (11.7 percent) remained similar with the U.S. (11.3 percent). This group saw a statistically significant increase in the U.S. (11.3 percent in 2024 compared to 11.0 percent in 2023) but remained similar in Kansas (11.7 percent and 11.9 percent). 

The U.S. Census data provide an indicator of impacts of policy changes and economic factors on health insurance coverage.  

“Upcoming policy changes, such as a shortened enrollment period and the end of expanded subsidies for the health insurance marketplace, could return marketplace enrollment to 2021 levels and increase the uninsured rate in Kansas and nationally in the future,” Bruffett said. 

Figure 1. Uninsured Rates for Kansas and the United States, 2009-2024 

Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on federal survey data collection, the Census Bureau did not provide data for 2020.
Source: Kansas Health Institute analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 1-year Estimates, Table S2701, 2009–2019 and 2021–2024.

Figure 2. Uninsured Rates for Kansas and the United States, Children, 2009-2024 

Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on federal survey data collection, the Census Bureau did not provide data for 2020.
Source: Kansas Health Institute analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 1-year Estimates, Table S2701, 2009–2019 and 2021–2024

Figure 3. Uninsured Rates for Kansas and the United States, Income Less than 138 Percent Federal Poverty Level, 2011-2024

Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on federal survey data collection, the Census Bureau did not provide data for 2020. In 2024, 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL) was $20,783 for an individual and $43,056 for a family of four.
Source: Kansas Health Institute analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 1-year Estimates, Table S2701, 2011–2019 and 2021–2024. 

Access the full American Community Survey 1-year Estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau release. Get Kansas-specific data and charts. For additional information or to request an interview, please contact Theresa Freed, KHI director of Strategic Communication and Engagement, at 316-305-5290 or by email at tfreed@khi.org. 

NOTE: The analysis uses data from the 2009-2024 American Community Survey 1-year Estimates released today. The U.S. Census Bureau also released data from the 2024 Current Population Survey. Estimates of insurance coverage this week may differ slightly between the ACS and CPS. The ACS estimates are better for analyzing state-level data and therefore were used in this analysis. 

For 30 years, the Kansas Health Institute has believed evidence-based information, objective analysis and civil dialogue enable policy leaders to be champions for a healthier Kansas. Established in 1995 with a multiyear grant from the Kansas Health Foundation, KHI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization based in Topeka. Learn more about KHI. 

About Kansas Health Institute

The Kansas Health Institute supports effective policymaking through nonpartisan research, education and engagement. KHI believes evidence-based information, objective analysis and civil dialogue enable policy leaders to be champions for a healthier Kansas. Established in 1995 with a multiyear grant from the Kansas Health Foundation, KHI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization based in Topeka.

Learn More About KHI