A majority of Americans believe Medicaid is important and want states to be able to expand Medicaid, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll.
The poll, which surveyed 1,205 American adults, examined the public’s view on the potential major Medicaid changes that would be made through the American Health Care Act. The bill passed in the House on May 4 and would cut an estimated $834 billion from Medicaid.
Currently, state Medicaid programs vary in how they handle benefits, eligibility and care delivery, with some guidelines from the federal government. In the House plan, the federal government’s contributions would come under per capita caps, or move to block grants.
Almost six in 10 surveyed by KFF said they believed that Medicaid was important to them and their family. The survey found that 84% of people thought that it was important for states that received federal funds to expand Medicaid continue to receive these funds if a different plan is put in place. Within that group, 83% of Independents and 71% of Republicans said that was important.
The survey also found that almost three-fourths of the public said it would support keeping the current Medicaid financing structure largely as it is.
For more on the Senate’s debate on AHCA, click here.
