Rising Uninsured Rates: Medicaid Disenrollment Drives Self-Pay Surge in Emergency Care

Post-Pandemic Redeterminations Shift Financial Burden to Patients

Following the end of pandemic-era coverage protections, millions of Americans face growing financial friction when seeking medical care. A study from Epic Research analyzing over 550 million U.S. healthcare encounters reveals that the proportion of self-pay emergency department visits jumped from 5.5% in early 2022 to 7.6% by mid-2026. Simultaneously, Medicaid-covered emergency encounters declined from 18.2% to 16.1%, mirroring the widespread coverage losses that occurred during state redeterminations.

The trend of patients paying out-of-pocket extends across all care settings. Inpatient self-pay admissions rose from 1.9% to 2.6%, while primary care self-pay visits increased slightly from 1.8% to 1.9%. Conversely, Medicaid encounters fell across inpatient care, births, and primary consultations.

With post-unwinding legislative changes introducing stricter eligibility reviews and work requirements, millions more are projected to lose coverage over the next decade. For vulnerable populations—including men managing chronic urological conditions or unexpected acute retention—rising uninsured rates increase the risk of delayed care, unmanageable out-of-pocket expenses, and financial strain during medical emergencies.

Pifer Parduhn, R. (2026, September 1). Medicaid losses leave more patients paying cash, Epic finds. Healthcare Dive. https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/medicaid-losses-leave-patients-paying-cash-epic-research-redeterminations/829258/