KFF Well being Monitoring Ballot: Public Weighs Well being Care Spending and Different Priorities for Incoming Administration | KFF

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KFF Health Tracking Poll: Public Weighs Health Care Spending and Other Priorities for Incoming Administration | KFF

Key Findings

  • Each Medicare and Medicaid proceed to be considered favorably by giant majorities of the general public, together with majorities of Republicans, Democrats, and independents. Whereas lawmakers are discussing modifications to Medicaid and Medicare together with attainable spending cuts, about half of the general public suppose the federal authorities isn’t spending sufficient on every of those applications. Half (51%) say the federal authorities spends “not sufficient” on Medicare, and almost half (46%) say the identical concerning the Medicaid program. Throughout each applications, the share of the general public who say the federal government isn’t spending sufficient is greater than twice the share who say the federal government is spending “an excessive amount of.”
  • The newest KFF Well being Monitoring Ballot additionally exhibits bipartisan consensus for some well being coverage priorities for the brand new presidential administration and Congress, particularly round oversight and regulation. Majorities of the general public – together with about half or extra throughout partisans – say boosting well being care worth transparency guidelines (61%), setting stricter limits on chemical compounds present in meals provide (58%), and extra carefully regulating the method utilized by medical health insurance firms after they approve or deny companies or pharmaceuticals (55%) ought to be a “high precedence” for the incoming administration and Congress. Increasing the variety of pharmaceuticals that the federal authorities negotiates the Medicare worth on can also be ranked as a “high precedence” by a majority of the general public together with two-thirds of Democrats, 54% of independents, 48% of Republicans and three-fourths of people who find themselves at the moment enrolled in Medicare.
  • Whereas the general public is basically in-line with a number of the administration’s potential well being care priorities, different attainable coverage actions are seen as decrease priorities, and in some instances, bigger shares of the general public say they “shouldn’t be performed.” The general public is split on whether or not the administration ought to prioritize recommending in opposition to fluoride in native water provides, with the identical share saying it ought to be a “high precedence” (23%) as say it “shouldn’t be performed” (23%). As well as, lower than one in eight adults (together with fewer than 1 / 4 of Republicans) say lowering federal funding to varsities that require vaccinations (15%), limiting abortion entry (14%), or lowering federal spending on Medicaid (13%) ought to be a “high precedence,” whereas a minimum of 4 in ten say every of those “shouldn’t be performed.”
  • Almost two-thirds of adults (64%) maintain a positive view of the 2010 Inexpensive Care Act (ACA), however views on the way forward for the regulation are nonetheless largely partisan. 4 in ten Republicans (40%) say repealing the laws ought to be a high precedence, whereas half of Democrats (50%) say extending the improved subsidies for individuals who purchase their very own protection ought to be a high precedence. General, a lot of the public is apprehensive concerning the stage of advantages for individuals who purchase their very own protection by the ACA marketplaces together with almost 9 in ten Democrats (86%), almost eight in ten independents (78%), and almost half of Republicans (47%).
  • General, about three-fourths (73%) of the general public thinks that lowering fraud and waste in authorities well being applications may result in reductions in general federal spending – which is the aim of Trump’s newly fashioned authorities effectivity program, however many additionally suppose it can end in a discount of advantages. Greater than half of the general public say lowering fraud and waste may result in reductions in the advantages individuals obtain from the Medicaid and Medicare applications.

Public’s Well being Care Priorities

As President-elect Trump takes workplace on January 20th with Republican majorities in each chambers of Congress, the general public is sending blended messages on how they prioritize key parts of the Trump administration’s well being agenda. Whereas People throughout partisanship largely embrace prioritizing elevated regulation and oversight akin to boosting worth transparency guidelines and setting stricter limits on chemical compounds within the meals provide, there are different facets of the Republican agenda the general public doesn’t assist – most notably, lowering federal funding to Medicaid.

When requested about a wide range of well being care proposals, together with these put forth by Republican and Democratic lawmakers, about six in ten say boosting worth transparency guidelines to make sure well being care costs can be found to sufferers (61%) ought to be a “high precedence,” and an identical share say the identical about setting stricter limits on chemical compounds discovered within the meals provide (58%). A majority (55%) additionally say extra carefully regulating the method utilized by medical health insurance firms after they approve or deny companies or pharmaceuticals is a high precedence. General, whereas well being care ranks lower than different coverage areas akin to immigration, overseas coverage, and the economic system; majorities of the general public – together with half or extra throughout partisanship – say every of those ought to be a “high precedence” for Congress and the brand new Trump administration.

With regards to proposed modifications to 2 key well being care legislations: the Inflation Discount Act’s provisions to permit the federal authorities to barter the Medicare worth of pharmaceuticals in addition to the 2010 Inexpensive Care Act (ACA), bigger shares of the general public assist actions to develop or strengthen these legal guidelines reasonably than repealing them. Greater than half of the general public (55%) say increasing the variety of pharmaceuticals topic to Medicare worth negotiation ought to be a high precedence, twice the share who prioritize rolling again this provision (28%). On the ACA, a couple of third (32%) prioritize extending the improved subsidies for individuals who purchase their very own well being protection whereas 1 / 4 of the general public (27%) say repealing and changing the ACA is a high precedence.

Different well being care points, lots of which stands out as the focus of the Trump administration, are seen as even decrease priorities for the incoming administration with substantial shares of the general public saying they “shouldn’t be performed.” Lower than 1 / 4 of the general public suppose altering suggestions for fluoride in native water provides (23%) ought to be a “high precedence,” which is similar to the share who say it shouldn’t be performed. Lower than one in eight say lowering federal funding to varsities that require vaccinations (15%), limiting abortion entry (14%), and lowering federal funding on Medicaid (13%) ought to be high priorities. At the least 4 in ten of the general public say every of those “shouldn’t be performed” by Congress or the Trump administration.

Some Bipartisan Settlement on Well being Care Priorities, however Views on ACA Are Extremely Partisan

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s alternative for head of the Division of Well being and Human Providers has long touted the necessity for a whole overhaul of U.S. meals coverage together with cracking down on ultra-processed meals and meals dyes. This give attention to limiting chemical compounds within the public’s meals provide is echoed within the public’s record of high well being care priorities, with majorities throughout partisans saying it ought to be a high precedence for the brand new Trump administration and Congress. Greater than half of Republicans (61%), independents (56%), and Democrats (55%) say setting stricter limits on chemical compounds within the meals provide ought to be a “high precedence” for Congress or the Trump administration.

Majorities of Democrats and independents additionally say oversight – each boosting worth transparency guidelines to make sure well being care costs can be found to sufferers and extra carefully regulating medical health insurance firms’ approval or denial of care – ought to be a high precedence for lawmakers. This elevated oversight on hospital pricing and insurance coverage firms can also be seen as a precedence amongst giant shares Republicans (56% and 45%, respectively). Partisans additionally maintain comparable views on whether or not increasing the variety of medicine topic to Medicare worth negotiation ought to be a precedence, with about half of Republicans (48%) saying this ought to be a “high precedence,” as do almost two-thirds of Democrats (65%).

There may be additionally bipartisan settlement on what shouldn’t be a high well being care precedence for lawmakers. Few Democrats, independents, or Republicans suppose the incoming administration ought to prioritize altering suggestions for fluoride in native water provides, lowering federal funding to varsities that require vaccinations, limiting abortion entry, or lowering federal funding for Medicaid.

Alternatively, views on the way forward for the 2010 Inexpensive Care Act proceed to be partisan. Repealing the ACA continues to rank as a precedence for Republicans (40% say it’s a “high precedence” in the latest monitoring ballot), nevertheless it has dropped as precedence among the many whole public (down 10 proportion factors), and amongst Republicans particularly (down 23 proportion factors), because the begin of the first Trump administration. Democrats, on the opposite aspect of the political aisle, usually tend to prioritize extending the Biden-era enhanced ACA market subsidies. Half of Democrats say this ought to be a “high precedence” in comparison with nearly one in six Republicans.

Many People Anticipate Their Well being Prices To Proceed Rising

All through the 2024 presidential marketing campaign, voters constantly stated they had been most concerned with electing a candidate who may scale back their well being care prices. President Trump largely capitalized on voters’ economic concerns and his personal report to persuade voters that he was the candidate most adept at taking over the excessive value of well being care. But, few People now count on well being care prices for them and their members of the family to grow to be extra reasonably priced over the subsequent few years. In truth, greater than half (57%) of the general public – together with 54% of Trump voters – say they count on the price of well being care to grow to be “much less reasonably priced.” Majorities of Democrats (60%), independents (59%), in addition to half of Republicans (51%) all count on well being care prices for them and their members of the family to grow to be much less reasonably priced within the coming years.

Public Largely Holds Favorable Views of Authorities Well being Applications

With the Trump administration’s give attention to tax cuts and border safety, Home Republicans have been coming up with plans to pay for these which can embody lowering spending on authorities well being applications akin to Medicare, Medicaid, and the Inexpensive Care Act. But, modifications to those applications might run up in opposition to public sentiment based on the newest KFF Monitoring Ballot.

KFF has requested the general public about their attitudes about each Medicaid and Medicare for greater than twenty years, and these two applications proceed to be overwhelmingly fashionable among the many public. In the latest ballot, about eight in ten (82%) People maintain favorable views of Medicare and greater than three-fourths (77%) maintain favorable views of Medicaid.

Medicare, the federal authorities medical health insurance program for adults 65 and older and a few youthful adults with disabilities, has maintained favorability amongst eight in ten adults for almost a decade. Within the January KFF Well being Monitoring Ballot, the share who say they view this system favorably consists of three-fourths of Republicans (75%) and greater than eight in ten independents (84%), and Democrats (90%). This additionally consists of 94% of the people who’re at the moment enrolled within the Medicare program.

Equally, Medicaid, the federal-state authorities medical health insurance program for sure low-income people and long-term care program, can also be extremely popular with three-fourths of adults (77%) holding favorable views, together with six in ten Republicans (63%), and a minimum of eight in ten independents (81%) and Democrats (87%). Medicaid can also be fashionable amongst these enrolled in this system with 84% saying they view this system favorably.

Notably, each applications are additionally considered favorably by a majority of voters who say they voted for President Trump within the 2024 election.

Whereas lawmakers are discussing modifications to those applications together with significant cuts to Medicaid, about half of the general public truly suppose the federal authorities isn’t spending sufficient on both of those applications. About half of the general public (51%) say the federal authorities spends “not sufficient” on Medicare, whereas one-third say the federal government spends “about the correct amount” and about one in seven (15%) say the federal government spends “an excessive amount of.” A majority of Democrats (60%) and pluralities of independents (49%) and Republicans (43%) say the federal authorities doesn’t spend sufficient on Medicare.

Almost half (46%) say the federal authorities doesn’t spend sufficient on the Medicaid program, with one other third saying it spends “about the correct amount” and round one in 5 (19%) saying it spends “an excessive amount of.” Whereas most Democrats (62%) say the federal authorities doesn’t spend sufficient, Republicans are a bit extra divided with about comparable shares of Republicans saying the federal government spends “an excessive amount of” (34%), “not sufficient” (32%), or “about the correct amount” (33%) on Medicaid.

The Inexpensive Care Act, the Obama-administration medical health insurance program that was a frequent goal of the primary Trump administration, additionally continues to be fashionable – though to a considerably lesser diploma than Medicaid or Medicare. Almost two-thirds of the general public (64%) view the 2010 ACA favorably whereas lower than 4 in ten (36%) say they maintain an unfavorable view of the regulation. The share of the general public who views the regulation unfavorably continues to be largely made up of Republicans, with about three-fourths (72%) saying they’ve an unfavorable view. ACA favorability increased considerably through the 2017 repeal efforts, and has maintained majority assist all through the previous 4 years of the Biden administration.

With attainable modifications to all three authorities well being applications, the general public is apprehensive that individuals lined by every of those applications sooner or later won’t be able to get the identical stage of advantages which can be obtainable right now. About eight in ten (81%) say they’re both “very apprehensive” or “considerably apprehensive” that Medicare enrollees is not going to get the identical stage of advantages sooner or later. This consists of greater than eight in ten (82%) people who’re at the moment lined by this system in addition to about 9 in ten adults (88%) who will probably be eligible for this system within the coming years, these between the ages of fifty and 64.

As well as, seven in ten are apprehensive concerning the stage of advantages that will probably be obtainable to individuals lined by Medicaid (72%) and individuals who purchase their very own protection by the ACA marketplaces (70%). Each Medicaid and the ACA have repeatedly been mentioned as attainable focuses of the incoming Trump administration and Congressional Republicans.

Many Assume Federal Authorities Isn’t Spending Sufficient on Public Well being

Because the Trump administration is balancing spending priorities, the general public thinks the federal government isn’t spending sufficient on many sides of public well being, together with both the priorities of RFK Jr, Trump’s choose to steer HHS, and the priorities of Congressional Republicans.

Many of the public says the federal government is spending “not sufficient” on the prevention of continual illnesses (60%) or prevention of infectious illnesses and getting ready for future pandemics (54%). Greater than 4 in ten stated the federal government was spending “not sufficient” (45%) on biomedical analysis, whereas 38% stated it was spending “about the correct amount.” Smaller shares say the federal authorities is spending “an excessive amount of” on every of the important thing well being priorities requested about.

Public Thinks Authorities Effectivity Might Lower Federal Spending, however Worries Efforts Could Scale back Advantages

One of many Trump administration’s promises has been to chop extreme authorities spending, together with lowering fraud and waste throughout varied sectors of the federal government. Because the newly-formed “Division of Authorities Effectivity” or DOGE begins work, the general public is worried concerning the impression that authorities effectivity efforts could have on individuals who get their medical health insurance by Medicare or Medicaid.

General, the general public thinks that lowering fraud and waste in authorities well being applications may result in reductions in general federal spending – which is the aim of the federal government effectivity program, however many additionally suppose it can end in a discount of advantages. 4 in ten say lowering fraud and waste in authorities well being applications may result in “main reductions” in federal spending with an extra third (32%) saying it may result in “minor reductions.” This consists of majorities throughout partisans (80% of Republicans, 68% of Democrats, and 72% of independents) who say lowering fraud and wasted may scale back general federal spending.

But, greater than half (55%) of the general public additionally say lowering fraud and waste may result in reductions in the advantages individuals obtain from the applications. Greater than 1 / 4 (28%) of the general public say that lowering fraud and waste will result in “main reductions,” with an extra quarter who say it can result in “minor reductions” in advantages. As soon as once more, greater than half throughout partisans (60% of Republicans, 55% of Democrats, and 51% of independents) say that lowering fraud and waste will result in decreased advantages.

The general public is basically divided on whether or not the incoming Trump administration’s proposed efforts to enhance authorities effectivity could have a adverse or constructive impression on individuals who get well being protection by Medicare or Medicaid. Comparable shares say the impression will probably be “largely adverse” (43%) and “largely constructive” (41%), whereas 15% say there gained’t be any impression. Views of the impression are extremely partisan, with giant majorities of Democrats (78%) saying there will probably be a largely adverse impression, and most Republicans (80%) say there will probably be a largely constructive impression. Independents are extra divided, however a bigger share say there will probably be a largely adverse impression (43%).