What Americans think about Medicaid

October 10, 2019

Todd Shryock, contributing author

Americans give their opinion on Medicaid.

Medicaid is the largest healthcare program in the United States, providing care for the underserved. The program costs more than $597 billion each year, but what do Americans think about the program and the value it provides? The Modern Medicaid Alliance polled more than 8,800 adults to find out. Here are the results.

More than one in five Americans are covered by Medicaid, with 43 percent being children, 14 percent are disabled, 9 percent are older adults over 65, and 33 percent are nondisabled and nonelderly adults.

87 percent of Americans agree that it’s important to have a strong, sustainable Medicaid program in the United States.

72 percent of Americans have a favorable view of Medicaid, up 8 percent from just two years ago.

Fewer than 20 percent of Americans support cutting Medicaid funding.

Respondents rank affordability (26 percent), accessibility (19 percent) and cost-effectiveness (18 percent) as the most important priorities for Medicaid.