Health articles
How did COVID-19 affect people in the US?
Note: This page is no longer being updated. This data was aggregated from national and state sources. As of July 2023, data collection and updates by federal, state, and local agencies was less comprehensive than in previous years.
What are the top causes of death for people 65 and older?
The top two causes of death for senior citizens in 2023 were heart diseases and cancer at 935.7 and 778.7 deaths per 100,000 people, respectively, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Cerebrovascular diseases (237.7 per 100,000 people), chronic lower respiratory diseases (212.0 per 100,000), and Alzheimer disease (190 per 100,000) followed as the next most common causes of death for seniors. COVID-19 was a top-five cause of death among adults 65 and older from 2020 to 2022, but was surpassed by Alzheimer’s disease in 2023.
Just the Facts about US healthcare and the health of Americans
Americans have faced many health challenges in recent years, from opioid addiction to COVID-19. And accidental deaths are rising. So what does the government spend on health for its citizens?
How much is spent on personal healthcare in the US?
Between the money spent by private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid, and people making out-of-pocket payments, America spent a total of $4.5 trillion on personal healthcare in 2024, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Who has health insurance? Are rates going up?
According to the Census Bureau 92.0% of people in the US had health insurance in 2024. In the past 10 years, the share of people covered by health insurance has been above 90%. Health insurance provides Americans with access to healthcare and offers financial coverage during medical emergencies. Most Americans are insured, but insurance rates still change from year to year due to economic trends (such as those related to COVID-19), demographic shifts (including an aging population), and public policy changes.
How does the government count COVID-19 deaths?
The number of COVID-19 deaths in the US since the pandemic began topped 700,000 in October. This makes the virus the nation’s third leading cause of death behind heart disease and cancer.Those numbers are preliminary, and the official data will not be complete until at least a year after the government officially ends the public health emergency for the pandemic. With both the provisional and official data tracking causes of death, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requires anyone certifying death information to follow international standards from the World Health Organization.When an individual dies, there’s often multiple contributing conditions or factors. Those can create challenges for tracking the cause of death in government data.
How prepared is the US for COVID-19 and who's at risk?
How prepared are our hospitals?While there is no perfect measure of how the healthcare system is equipped to deal with an influx of novel coronavirus patients, it’s important to consider how many hospital beds are in the US. As of 2018, the US had approximately 924,000 hospital beds, or 2.8 beds per 1,000 people. This is less than half the number of hospital beds per person that there was in 1980.At the last count in 2015, approximately 65.5% of all hospital beds are already occupied at any one time.
How has COVID-19 impacted air travel?
The coronavirus pandemic has hit the air travel industry hard. The number of monthly passengers on US-based airlines dropped 96% from 67.8 million in February to 3 million in April according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). Though that number has rebounded somewhat, September passenger levels were still down by 65% compared to September 2019, according to preliminary BTS data. As the nation grapples with a record number of coronavirus infections heading into the holiday season, the industry faces another period of uncertainty.Government data shows the industry has partially recovered from the early days of the pandemic but remains behind previous years.
Who is eligible for the second COVID-19 booster?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced in March 2022 that adults over 50 years old and immunocompromised individuals were eligible to receive their second COVID-19 booster.Through July 2022, 21.2 million people ages 50 and up received a second booster. This represents about 30% of the 50 or older population in the US. About 1.3 million adults younger than 50 years old also received a second booster.
What’s the state of telehealth after COVID-19?
Telehealth became more widely used throughout the US during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data indicates that about 80% of physicians plan to continue using it. At the beginning of the pandemic, telehealth visits increased from about 5 million to more than 53 million among Medicare recipients alone. Data collected from April 14, 2021, through August 8, 2022, shows that while telehealth usage rates peaked during the pandemic, they remain higher than pre-pandemic levels.What is telehealth?The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) defines telehealth as access to a healthcare provider without an in-person office visit. This includes video chats over computers, tablets, or phones.Telehealth also includes phone calls and digital communication with a provider, such as email or data exchange through a portal. It may also encompass the use of remote monitoring devices like a blood pressure monitor or glucose meter.Interest in telehealth was slowly rising until spring 2020, when the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns made it a necessity. To promote contact-free prevention measures, former President Donald Trump expanded Medicare’s telehealth benefits via executive action, granting millions of Americans access to telehealth services. Up until then, Medicare coverage for telehealth was only available in very specific circumstances.The term telehealth is often used interchangeably with telemedicine. According to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, telemedicine refers to clinical services, while telehealth includes non-clinical services. For example, non-clinical services may include things like administrative meetings, while clinical services include patient consultations.However, the official Medicaid website no longer uses the term telemedicine, and instead refers to all consultations, diagnoses, meetings, and health assessments completed across a distance as telehealth.What are the differences between telehealth and in-person care?The differences between telehealth and in-person care depend on the patient’s condition. For example, telehealth may be appropriate for consultations, follow-up visits, or common ailments. However, it may be less suitable for conditions that require a physical examination or bloodwork.Telehealth protects patients from potential exposure to communicable diseases in the doctor’s office. Virtual doctor visits give patients access to specialists who may otherwise be inaccessible because they live too far away.However, telehealth may prove more challenging than in-person care for either provider or patient if they have difficulty communicating via video chat. Some telehealth providers may need to make appropriate accommodations for patients with disabilities.Not everyone has access to the broadband internet necessary to access video telehealth services. Others may not have the technical knowledge required to operate telehealth platforms or monitoring devices.
Has COVID-19 disproportionately affected Black and Hispanic Americans?
In 2020, COVID-19 death rates for Black and Hispanic people were higher than rates for non-Hispanic white and Asian people across age groups. More than 0.5% of Black and 0.7% of Hispanic people aged 65 to 74 died from COVID-19 — higher than the 0.2% of non-Hispanic white people in this age group who died from coronavirus.
How widespread is the flu right now?
Influenza and other flu-like illness accounted for about 4.6% of all doctor’s visits during the week ending February 7, 2026. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu patients occupied 1.6% of hospital beds nationwide, and one state has “high” or “very high” levels of respiratory illness including flu, COVID-19, and RSV.
48% of Americans are feeling down, depressed, or hopeless during the COVID-19 pandemic
In addition to affecting health and employment, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the mental and emotional state of Americans. More recent events, including the death of George Floyd and weeks of nationwide protests against police brutality and racism, have also amplified stressors for mental health.Beginning on April 23, 2020, the US Census Bureau started conducting its Household Pulse Survey to study “how people’s lives have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”The Census Bureau sent questionnaires to an average of 1.24 million households every week in the first eight weeks of the survey. About 7.5% of those households responded.The four questions related to depression and anxiety offer up-to-date information on Americans’ mental health nationwide, in individual states, and amongst various demographic groups. The most recent data released was collected between June 18 and 23.The results show high levels of anxiety and depression compared with a similar annual survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2018 (it should be noted that the CDC survey asked a different question than the Census Bureau).The numbers further indicate continuing increases in rates of anxiety and depression among Americans over the past several weeks. A previous version of this article discussed the data collected between May 21 and 26, prior to the death of George Floyd. Compared to these numbers, even more Americans are experiencing anxiety and depression than before.When it comes to anxiety, 60% of American adults experienced “frequency of feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge” in the last seven days, an increase of 5 percentage points since May. Over a quarter of all respondents reported feeling that way more than half of the days in the last week.
What are the leading causes of death in the US?
In 2022, heart disease, cancer, and accidents were the leading causes of death. Out of the nearly 3.3 million deaths in 2022, over 1.5 million, or 47%, were due to one of these three causes. The fourth, fifth, and sixth most common causes were COVID-19, cerebrovascular diseases, and chronic lower respiratory diseases.
How COVID-19 is changing primary voting—and the November election
The coronavirus outbreak has disrupted the 2020 election calendar, prompting states to shift their presidential primaries and other votes.These changes also include shifts away from the traditional visiting of polling places. Primary elections do not have the same rate of turnout as general elections, but this primary season may still provide insight into how Americans will vote in November’s election.Tuesday, April 28 should have hosted six primaries: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. Instead, the only state that voted was Ohio. After cancelling its March 17 in-person primary, Ohio conducted its election almost entirely by mail. Gov. Mike DeWine initially proposed June 2 as a substitute, but the Ohio legislature moved the official primary date to April 28. Ballots postmarked by April 27 will be counted.New York state cancelled its presidential primary entirely. Over a dozen other states are weighing how to proceed with their primaries.How states shifted their primaries after the onset of COVID-19As of April 27, 15 states and territories have either delayed their primaries or switched to a vote-by-mail system with extended deadlines.
How did the COVID-19 pandemic change America, according to new Census data?
The American Community Survey (ACS), administered by the US Census Bureau, is the most comprehensive annual survey about the country’s population and housing information. It is used to distribute $675 billion every year, from allocating school lunch funds to planning emergency service coverage.Due to low response rates, the 2020 ACS data was withheld. As a result, the 2021 data release is the first version of the survey showing American economic, household, and social characteristics since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.The data confirms big shifts in American society: commuting changed drastically, the housing market continued to tighten, and older Americans were hit disproportionately hard by the pandemic.How has the increase in people working from home changed commuting patterns?Between 2019 and 2021, the percentage of workers working from home more than tripled from 5.7% to 17.9%. This included workers who went into an office for less than half of their working week. The percentage of workers using public transportation to commute was halved, dropping from 5% to 2.5% over the same time period. Driving alone continued to be the most common method of transportation to work.
Six charts about COVID-19 vaccines: 24% of Americans 12 to 17 have started their vaccinations
1. 168.5 million Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccineAs of June 1, 2021, fifty-one percent of Americans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Forty-one percent of the population, or 135.9 million people, is fully vaccinated.The vaccination rate has slowed since peaking in April. In the week ending on June 1, there were an average of 587,000 new vaccine recipients every day, down 71% from the 2 million a day mid-April. At the current vaccination rate, 70% of the population will have at least one dose by mid-September.
The state of healthcare at the end of 2020
Even before the coronavirus pandemic surged across the country, government data revealed that healthcare was getting costlier, and not always with improved results.
The $2 trillion CARES Act, a response to COVID-19, is equivalent to 45% of all 2019 federal spending
Congress passed several major pieces of legislation responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in the past few weeks. What’s the difference between these bills, currently being discussed in phases, and what’s the best way to measure the size of the CARES Act in the context of previous government spending?Phases I & II: First stages of the coronavirus responsePhase One – Health agencies and initial small business loansThis first significant piece of legislation passed on March 6, 2020. H.R. 6074, or the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, provides $8.3 billion in funding for vaccine development, loans for affected small businesses, evacuations and emergency activities at State Department facilities, and other humanitarian assistance.Phase Two – Paid sick leave, unemployment benefits, and food assistancePhase Two refers to H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which passed on March 17, 2020. The law provides roughly $100 billion in tax credits supporting emergency paid leave benefits. It also expands unemployment benefits and requires employers to give approximately two weeks of paid sick leave. The bill also increases access to food and nutrition support for both children and adults by waiving specific program requirements.Phase III: The CARES ActOn March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law, amounting to over $2 trillion in aid. That’s roughly $6,000 per American or 45% of all federal government expenditures in 2019.
Eight ways the pandemic affected American life in data
During the pandemic, the number of jobs available grew, the number of people getting educated fell, and spending on things such as recreation and hotel stays plummeted. Here are eight charts showing some of the ways the pandemic reverberated in different realms of American life.
What are the leading causes of death by age?
Heart disease, cancer, and COVID-19 were responsible for nearly half of the deaths nationwide in 2021. Still, the age-adjusted death rates of both cancer and heart disease have declined over the last 20 years.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 3.46 million people died in the US in 2021. Overall, 10 causes accounted for 74.5% of deaths that year.For comparison, the top 10 causes in 1999 accounted for approximately 80% of all deaths.
Which vaccines are recommended for American adults?
Federal vaccine recommendations and state mandates only apply to children, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends that adults stay up to date on certain vaccines. Which ones? It depends; recommended vaccinations depend on factors like age, pregnancy, or medical conditions increase infection risks.
Which states have the highest maternal mortality rates?
Maternal mortality — when a woman dies while pregnant or within 42 days after a pregnancy — is an important maternal health indicator. In 2023, there were 669 maternal deaths in the United States, a maternal mortality rate of 18.6 deaths per 100,000 live births. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 80% of all pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. are preventable.Maternal mortality rates vary from state to state. Tennessee had the highest aggregate maternal mortality rate from 2019 to 2023, with 42.1 deaths per 100,000 births, followed by Louisiana (40.7) and Mississippi (39.7). California had the lowest, 10.1, and Minnesota was second-lowest with 14.1. Data is only available for 39 states: The CDC suppresses maternal death counts from states with nine deaths or fewer in the interests of confidentiality, and from states with 20 deaths or fewer to ensure data integrity.
What’s going on with ACA subsidies?
On December 31, 2025, temporary Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidy expansions expired. Beginning in 2026, subsidy eligibility and benefit levels reverted to those set under the original ACA law. The ACA, which was passed in 2010, intended to expand health insurance coverage and reduce healthcare costs. The law established the Health Insurance Marketplace as a platform where individuals and families can shop for and enroll in private, ACA-approved health insurance plans. The ACA Marketplace’s purpose is to provide an insurance option for people who don't have insurance through an employer (like freelancers, people between jobs, part-time workers), or through a public program like Medicaid or Medicare. While ACA Marketplace plans are available to most people regardless of income, the ACA also offers income-based subsidies to eligible enrollees to make monthly premiums more affordable. During the COVID-19 pandemic, eligibility requirements for ACA assistance were temporarily expanded in 2021 to help prevent coverage losses. Because those enhancements expired at the end of 2025, some enrollees may pay higher monthly premiums starting in 2026.
What does the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) do?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive branch agency responsible for safeguarding human health and protecting the environment by ensuring that people in the US have access to clean air, land, and water. Its functions include developing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress, providing grants to support environmental programs and projects, researches environmental issues, and fostering partnerships with businesses, nonprofits, and state and local governments. It was established in 1970.
What does the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) do?
The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is a subdivision of the US Department of Agriculture responsible for administering the nation’s domestic nutrition assistance programs. These programs include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the National School Lunch Program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The agency aims to provide children and low-income individuals access to food, a healthful diet, and nutrition education. It was established in 1969.
What does the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) do?
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is a subdivision of the US Department of Veterans Affairs responsible for providing comprehensive healthcare services to military veterans. The agency operates a nationwide system of medical centers, outpatient clinics, and specialized care facilities, offering services ranging from primary care to specialized treatments for conditions such as PTSD and traumatic brain injuries. It also conducts research and provides training for healthcare professionals. It was established in 1930.
How many kids are vaccinated?
Children born during the COVID-19 pandemic are getting fewer vaccines compared to children born in the 2010s. To control infectious diseases in the US population, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all kids get a set of vaccines known as the “combined 7-series” vaccines, by the time they turn 2. Though trends for the individual vaccines in the series vary, complete vaccination is trending downward: 72.8% of children born in 2020 and 2021 got the full set of seven by 35 months, compared to 74.4% of children born in 2013–2014.What’s included in the combined 7-series vaccines?The series includes vaccines to protect against: Chickenpox (varicella): 1 or more doses Diphtheria, lockjaw (tetanus), and whooping cough (pertussis): 4 or more doses, commonly of the DTaP vaccine Hepatitis B: three or more doses Hib infections: three to four or more doses, depending on the vaccine Measles: one or more doses, commonly of the MMR vaccine Pneumococcal diseases: four or more doses, commonly of the PCV vaccine Polio: three or more doses
How many people have long COVID?
The Census Bureau estimated that 5.3% of all adults in the US were experiencing long COVID in late October 2023. Of the approximately 134 million adults who have had COVID-19, 9.5% were experiencing long COVID in late October 2023.Overall, the Census Bureau estimated that 25.6% of US adults who’ve contracted COVID-19 had experienced long COVID at some point.
What does the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) do?
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is a subdivision of the US Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring that the nation's commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged. The agency conducts inspections, enforces food safety regulations, and works to prevent foodborne illnesses through rigorous testing and monitoring. It also provides guidance and education to industry and consumers on food safety practices. It was established in 1977.
What does the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a subdivision of the US Department of Health and Human Services responsible for protecting public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, and medical devices. The agency also oversees the safety and security of the nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. It was established in 1906.
What does the National Institutes of Health (NIH) do?
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a subdivision of the US Department of Health and Human Services responsible for conducting and supporting medical research to improve public health. The agency funds and conducts research in various fields of biomedical science, including the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases. It also provides training for researchers and disseminates health information to the public. It was established in 1887.
Why are accidental deaths rising?
Accidental deaths are the third leading cause of death in the United States. In fact, they’ve been the third leading cause of death since 2016, save for 2020 and 2021 when the nation grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic. The accidental death rate has increased 56% since 2014.
How many Americans have been diagnosed with HIV?
In 2023, 1.1 million people were living with diagnosed HIV in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, is a disease spread through sex that weakens a person’s immune system, compromising their health by attacking the white blood cells that are critical to fighting off disease. Early HIV diagnosis is one pillar of the federal government’s plan to end the HIV epidemic.How many people are diagnosed with HIV each year?In 2023, 38,793 people in the US were newly diagnosed with HIV, a number that has surpassed the previous 2017 high. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) attributes the increase to increased testing, as people who delayed healthcare in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic returned to the doctor.The federal government’s goal is to reduce annual new diagnoses to 9,588 by 2025, and then to 3,000 by 2030.
What does the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) do?
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level executive branch agency responsible for overseeing public health policy and administering funding for health programs and services. The department's functions include managing national health programs like Medicare and Medicaid, advancing medical research, ensuring food and drug safety, and promoting health equity for all individuals. It was established in 1980 after the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was reorganized into separate entities.
How many people are enrolled in Affordable Care Act plans in the US?
About 24.3 million in 2025. That's an estimated 7.2% of the US population based on enrollments by the end of the open enrollment period (which, in most states, typically runs from early November to mid-January of the next year). Qualified health plans are insurance plans certified by the Health Insurance Marketplace that comply with Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements. They provide health benefits and follow established cost-sharing limits, including deductibles, copayments, and out-of-pocket maximums.
What does the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) do?
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is a subdivision of the Department of Health and Human Services responsible for administering the nation’s major healthcare programs including Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The agency ensures that beneficiaries have access to high-quality healthcare services while also working to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare delivery. It was established in 1965.
What does the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) do?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is a subdivision of the US Department of Transportation responsible for ensuring the safety of motor vehicles and road users. The agency sets and enforces safety performance standards for motor vehicles and equipment, conducts research on driver behavior and traffic safety, and provides grants to state and local governments to improve highway safety. It also oversees the recall of vehicles and equipment that pose safety risks. It was established in 1970.
What does the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) do?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a subdivision of the Department of Health and Human Services responsible for protecting public health and safety through the control and prevention of disease, injury, and disability. The agency conducts research, provides health information, and supports public health efforts to respond to health threats ranging from infectious diseases to chronic conditions. It also works with state and local partners to monitor health trends and promote health equity. It was established in 1946.
What does the Substance Abuse And Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) do?
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is a subdivision of the US Department of Health and Human Services responsible for improving the quality and availability of treatment and rehabilitative services to reduce illness, death, disability, and the cost to society resulting from substance abuse and mental illnesses. SAMHSA leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation and works to improve the lives of individuals living with mental and substance use disorders and their families. It was established in 1992.