Americans oppose budget cuts to Medicaid

According to a new national survey released this week in the U.S., the majority of Americans regard the state-federal low-income health care program as very important and strongly oppose budget cuts to Medicaid.

Forty years after its creation, despite criticism that spiraling costs have earned it a reputation as a program that eats up state budgets, Medicaid remains well regarded by the public.

In a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation of 1,201 American adults, they found that 74 percent said funding for Medicaid was "very important".

The same percentage said the same of federal aid to public schools, but Social Security and Medicare topped the list of government spending significance, with 88 percent and 83 percent respectively.

Lead researcher and vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation, Mollyann Brodie, says that Americans hold a very positive view of the program.

Despite almost two-thirds of survey respondents feeling their state budgets were facing serious problems, Medicaid received public support.

But more than one-third believed Medicaid was a major cause for the financial strain.

According to the Government Accountability Office, in 2003, federal and state Medicaid spending totaled $276 billion and provided services to some 54 million low-income people.

Seventy-four percent of Americans somewhat or strongly oppose Medicaid cutbacks, while 22 percent somewhat or strongly support reductions.

Diane Rowland, executive vice president of the Kaiser Foundation, says that shows that the public sees healthcare as something that the public needs.

The survey found that more than half of Americans have had some interaction with Medicaid, whether personally or through a family member or a friend.

Rowland says on average, a family of four is considered low-income if it's annual income is below $40,000.

Even though most of the aid goes to elderly recipients, children make up the largest group of enrollees.

According to Brodie one possible reason for the program's positive reputation is that it has avoided the negative views and social stigma often associated with cash welfare programs.