An outline of latest KFF polling on the general public’s views of and connections to Medicaid, the federal-state authorities medical health insurance for sure low-income adults and kids and long-term care program for adults 65 and older and youthful adults with disabilities.
In the long run, it seems America is sort of proud of Medicaid and usually are not ready to chop it the best way Republicans wish to do. Learn on . . .
7 Charts About Public Opinion on Medicaid, KFF
#1: Most Individuals Have Some Connection to Medicaid
Most adults report some stage of connection to the Medicaid program. About two-thirds (65%) of the general public say that somebody near them has obtained assist from Medicaid sooner or later, together with over half (53%) who say both they themselves or a member of their household has been coated by this system and an extra 13% who say a detailed buddy has been coated. Substantial shares of Democrats (52%), independents (57%), and Republicans (44%) say they or a member of the family has ever been coated by Medicaid.
#2: The Public Holds Favorable Views of Medicaid
Majorities of the general public throughout partisanship maintain favorable views of Medicaid. The January 2025 KFF Well being Monitoring Ballot discovered about three-quarters of the general public have a “very favorable” (37%) or “somewhat favorable” (40%) view of this system, whereas one-quarter have an unfavorable view. At the very least eight in ten Democrats (87%) and independents (81%), together with almost two-thirds of Republicans (63%) view this system favorably. KFF polling has discovered that the general public has seen Medicaid extra positively than negatively since not less than the late Nineteen Nineties.
#3: Practically All Adults Say Medicaid Is Essential for Individuals in Their Communities and Extra Than Half See It As Essential for Their Households
Practically all adults (97%) say Medicaid is not less than considerably vital for folks of their area people, together with about three in 4 (73%) who say it’s “very important.” Massive majorities throughout partisans say Medicaid is vital to folks of their area people – although Republicans are much less more likely to say it’s “very important.”
A majority (56%) of adults additionally say Medicaid is vital for them and their household, together with a couple of third (35%) who say it’s “very important.” Greater than three in 4 adults who’ve been coated by Medicaid or have had a member of the family coated by this system say it’s “very important” or “somewhat important” to them and their households. Throughout partisans, about six in ten Democrats and independents say Medicaid is vital to them and their households, as do 44% of Republicans.
#4: Few Adults Need To See a Lower in Federal Medicaid Spending
The February 2025 KFF Well being Monitoring Ballot discovered that few adults (17%) say they wish to see Congress lower federal spending on Medicaid. Most individuals say they wish to see Congress both improve Medicaid spending (42%) or hold it about the identical (40%). A majority of Democrats (64%) need Congress to extend spending on Medicaid whereas pluralities of independents (46%) and Republicans (43%) wish to see Congress hold Medicaid funding about the identical.
#5: Some Public Misconceptions About Medicaid Stay
Regardless of giant shares of the general public having some connection to Medicaid, there’s nonetheless some confusion about who and what’s coated by Medicaid. For instance, simply 38% of the general public know that Medicaid is the federal government program that pays for nursing houses and long-term care providers; one in 4 adults incorrectly consider that Medicare pays for these providers, and 31% of the general public say they don’t know.
Equally, although KFF evaluation has proven that about two-thirds of adults ages 19-64 who’ve Medicaid protection are already employed, nearly 4 in ten adults (37%) are conscious most individuals in this system are working whereas about six in ten (62%) incorrectly suppose most working-age folks with Medicaid are unemployed.
Moreover, nearly half of the general public (53%) know that undocumented immigrants are not eligible for medical health insurance applications like Medicaid paid by the federal authorities, whereas barely lower than half of the general public are both not sure (28%) or incorrectly consider (18%) that undocumented immigrants are eligible for medical health insurance applications paid for by the federal authorities.
#6: Views of Whether or not Medicaid Is Well being Insurance coverage or Welfare Range by Partisanship
When requested whether or not Medicaid is primarily a authorities medical health insurance program or a authorities welfare program, a bigger share of the general public (61%) in addition to six in ten independents and eight in ten Democrats (79%) say Medicaid is primarily a medical health insurance program. A smaller majority of Republicans (54%) say Medicaid is primarily a welfare program.
#7: Medicaid Growth Is In style in Non-Growth States
The Reasonably priced Care Act’s (ACA) gave states an choice to increase their Medicaid protection to just about all adults with incomes as much as 138% of the Federal Poverty Degree and obtain further federal funding for his or her expanded Medicaid populations.
As of 2025, 41 states and Washington, D.C. have expanded their Medicaid applications beneath the ACA whereas 10 states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming) haven’t adopted the enlargement. KFF polling has discovered that two-thirds of individuals dwelling in non-expansion states suppose their state ought to increase Medicaid to cowl extra low-income folks beneath the ACA. That is almost twice the share who say they need their state Medicaid program to remain as it’s (34%).
In the long run, individuals are fairly proud of Medicaid. Certainly, the trouble is to enhance upon it and add extra folks to Medicaid. That is fairly the other of what Speaker of the Home of Consultant is making an attempt to do with Medicaid. Republican plan is to chop Medicaid.
