Amid discussion of changes to the Medicaid program, most of the public say that Medicaid is important to their local communities. About two in 10 favor cuts to Medicaid spending. Support for Medicaid cuts remains low even among typically conservative groups such as Republicans, Trump voters, and those living in rural communities. The poll also gauges the impact of arguments for and against Medicaid work requirements and reductions to federal spending on ACA expansion.
As the Trump administration takes steps to dissolve the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and freeze most foreign aid, a KFF tracking poll examines the public's perceptions on the cutbacks, implications for global health, and how those funds should be redirected. Read more →
Also, a new KFF analysis explores the global health implications of and disruptions caused by the U.S. freezing foreign aid. Learn more →
We've added a chapter on U.S. public health to Health Policy 101, our mini "textbook" that's available free online and in PDF. The public health chapter examines how public health is governed and delivered in the U.S. and includes explanations of key public health frameworks, services, capabilities and characteristics, how the public health system works in state, local and territorial governments, public health funding, workforce, and communication challenges in an era of declining trust and more.
"The CBO letter confirms early expectations, finding that over the next 10 years, 93% of non-Medicare spending in the E&C [House Energy & Commerce Committee] jurisdiction is from the federal share of Medicaid spending…Even if E&C eliminated all non-Medicaid and CHIP spending, the committee would need to cut federal spending on Medicaid and CHIP by well over $700 billion, nearly 10% of projected spending." Read more.
Alice Burns
Associate Director, Program on Program on Medicaid & Uninsured
"How these new workforce reductions at the Social Security Administration will affect people is unknown but could make it harder for people to get connected to benefits they might qualify for…which would in turn affect access to health insurance coverage through Medicare and Medicaid." Read more.
As policymakers in Washington debate potentially steep funding cuts to Medicaid, Republicans are using terms such as “money laundering” and “discrimination” to make their case. Language experts and Medicaid advocates say their word choice is misleading and designed to sway the public against the popular program.
