Overview of Health Coverage and Care for Individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Authors: Alisha Rao, Drishti Pillai, and Samantha Artiga Published: Sep 21, 2026

https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/overview-of-health-coverage-and-care-for-individuals-with-limited-english-proficiency/ As of 2024, approximately 28.5 million people in the United States ages five and older have limited English proficiency (LEP). The federal government defines people with LEP as those who do not speak English as their primary language and who have a limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand English (also described as speaking English “less than very well”). Individuals with LEP disproportionately experience gaps in health insurance coverage and poor health outcomes, in part, due to language access barriers. Because people of color are more likely than White people to have LEP, these barriers can also exacerbate racial and ethnic disparities in health and health care.