Medicare and Medicaid Statistics: A Complete Guide for 2025

Total Medicare Enrollment Reaches New Heights

As of 2025, 68.9 million Americans are enrolled in Medicare, and the vast majority (90.1 percent) are ages 65 or older.1 That represents steady growth as baby boomers continue aging into Medicare eligibility.

Key Medicare enrollment facts:

• 62.8 million beneficiaries have Medicare Parts A and B2
• 81 percent of Medicare beneficiaries have Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage
• Medicare enrollment is projected to reach higher levels as the population ages

Want to learn more about Medicare? Watch our video below with Medicare expert Danielle Roberts.

Medicare Advantage Enrollment, Demographics and Growth

Perhaps the most striking trend in Medicare is the surge in Medicare Advantage enrollment. More than half (54 percent) of eligible Medicare beneficiaries now choose Medicare Advantage over traditional Medicare — that’s 34.1 million people.

That represents a dramatic shift from just 19 percent enrollment in 2007 to 54 percent in 2025. The Congressional Budget Office projects that the trend will continue, with Medicare Advantage enrollment reaching 64 percent by 2034.

Medicare Advantage enrollment facts:

• 62 percent are in individual plans open to general enrollment
• 21 percent are enrolled in special needs plans
• 17 percent are in employer or union group plans

Popular Carriers

Medicare Advantage enrollment is highly concentrated among a few large insurers. UnitedHealth Group leads with 29 percent of all Medicare Advantage enrollment (9.9 million people), while Humana accounts for 17 percent. Together, those two companies serve nearly half of all Medicare Advantage enrollees.

Want to learn more about popular carriers? You can read our hands-on UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage review and Humana Medicare Advantage review.

The top five parent organizations control the vast majority of the market:

• UnitedHealth Group: 29 percent
• Humana: 17 percent
• CVS Health: 12 percent
• Elevance Health: 7 percent
• Kaiser Foundation Health Plan: 6 percent

The Cost of Medicare Advantage Growth

Medicare Advantage provides additional benefits, but it comes at a cost to taxpayers. Compared to Medicare payments, private plans are 20 percent higher per person than spending for similar beneficiaries in Original Medicare. That translates to an additional $84 billion in federal spending in 2025, much higher than the $18 billion in extra spending a decade ago.

Special Needs Plans Show Remarkable Growth

Special needs plans (SNPs) represent one of the fastest-growing segments of Medicare Advantage. In 2025, 1 in 5 Medicare Advantage enrollees is in an SNP.

Most SNP enrollees are in dual special needs plans (D-SNPs) designed for people eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Chronic condition SNPs (C-SNPs) saw explosive growth, increasing 71 percent between 2024 and 2025.

Medicaid Enrollment, Demographics and Unwinding

Medicaid provides health coverage to 70.8 million Americans, with an additional 7.3 million enrolled in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Combined, these programs cover 78.1 million people, representing about 21 percent of the U.S. population.3

That enrollment reflects a 17 percent decline from the pandemic peak of 94 million enrollees in March 2023, but it remains 9 percent higher than prepandemic levels.

Who Medicaid Serves

Medicaid serves a diverse population with specific health care needs:

By age group:

• 48 percent are children under 18
• 52 percent are adults
• 12 percent are seniors (65 or older)

By race and ethnicity:

• 39.6 percent are non-Hispanic white
• 30.8 percent are Hispanic
• 20.8 percent are Black
• 6.0 percent are Asian American

Women account for 52.2 percent of Medicaid enrollees, slightly higher than their share of the overall U.S. population.

State Variation in Medicaid Coverage

Medicaid enrollment varies dramatically by state, reflecting different eligibility rules and economic conditions. As of January 2025, enrollment ranges from 34.2 percent of the population in Washington, D.C., to just 8.6 percent in Utah.

Medicaid expansion impact:

• 41 states plus Washington, D.C., have adopted Medicaid expansion
• 10 states have not expanded Medicaid
• Expansion states generally have higher enrollment rates

The Unwinding Impact

Following the end of pandemic-era continuous enrollment provisions, states resumed eligibility reviews, a process known as “unwinding.” Over 25 million people were disenrolled during the unwinding, representing 31 percent of completed renewals.

However, 69 percent of people with completed renewals had their coverage renewed, and 61 percent of renewals were processed automatically without requiring action from the enrollee.

Medicare and Medicaid Spending

Medicare costs increased modestly in 2025. The standard Medicare Part B premium is $185 per month, up $10.30 from 2024’s $174.70. The annual Part B deductible rose to $257, an increase of $17.

Higher earners pay significantly more through income-related monthly adjustment amounts (IRMAA). In 2025, high-income beneficiaries may pay total Part B premiums ranging from $259 to $628.90 a month.4

Medicaid, meanwhile, accounts for 18.8 percent of all health-care spending in the United States, making it a crucial component of the health-care system. The program spent $871.7 billion in 2023, growing 7.9 percent from the previous year.5

Where Medicaid dollars go:

• Long-term care services receive significant funding.
• Medicaid pays for 40 percent of all births in the country.
• The program covers more than one-third of home health care spending.
• Nearly one-third of nursing home spending comes through Medicaid.

Methodology

This analysis draws from multiple reliable sources to provide comprehensive Medicare and Medicaid statistics for 2025. Primary data sources include the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) enrollment files, the Kaiser Family Foundation’s ongoing tracking of both programs and official government reports, including the Medicare Trustees Report and CMS National Health Expenditure Data.

Medicare enrollment figures reflect beneficiaries with both Parts A and B, as those individuals are eligible for Medicare Advantage plans. Medicaid enrollment data represents the most recent monthly reports available, with some figures varying slightly between sources due to reporting timeframes and methodological differences.

All financial figures are presented in current dollars unless otherwise specified, and percentage calculations are based on the most recent complete data available for each metric.

Conclusion

The Medicare and Medicaid landscape is evolving rapidly, with Medicare Advantage changing how older adults receive health care and Medicaid adapting to post-pandemic realities. These programs now serve over 140 million Americans, representing one of the largest social safety nets in U.S. history.

For older adults and caregivers, understanding these statistics is not only about numbers, but also about making informed decisions in an increasingly complex health-care environment. Whether you’re choosing among Medicare options, navigating Medicaid eligibility or planning for future health-care needs, these trends provide valuable context for the choices ahead.

The data shows that both programs remain vital lifelines for millions of Americans, even as they face ongoing policy debates and budget pressures. Staying informed about these changes ensures that you can help yourself or loved ones access the right health-care coverage.