67% Say Less Likely to Re-Elect Member of Congress if They Voted for Seniors' Medicare Cuts
WASHINGTON, June 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As Congress prepares to reconvene today following the Memorial Day district work period, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) released the results of a new national survey by Zogby International finding that seventy percent of likely U.S. voters oppose an Administration's effort that includes $5 billion, five-year cuts to Medicare-financed nursing home care. In addition, the poll finds, sixty-seven percent say they are less likely to re-elect their Member of Congress if he or she voted for these Medicare cuts.
"From the results of this survey, it is abundantly clear voters feel a strong aversion to slashing Medicare funding for essential nursing home care," stated Bruce Yarwood, President and CEO of AHCA. "We will continue to inform policymakers on Capitol Hill why Medicare cuts proposed by the Administration will not only harm seniors' ongoing access to quality nursing home care, but also jeopardize the jobs of the key frontline caregivers who make a significant difference in patients' care outcomes."
The recent poll results show a growing trend in voter's opposition to cuts to Medicare financed funding for nursing home care, when compared to similar polls taken in February. Seventy percent of current poll respondents are opposed to the cuts compared to a previous sixty three percent. When faced with the prospect of electing a Member of Congress, sixty-seven percent of voters, in comparison to sixty-one percent earlier in the year, would be less likely to vote in or re-elect their representative if they approved the FY 2009 budget as proposed, which includes a potential job loss of forty thousand jobs across the nation.
"Our profession is working hard to ensure issues related to seniors' long term care funding and the overall stability of the long term care financing system are part of the 2008 campaign dialogue," Yarwood continued. "We are ready and willing to work with the presidential candidates and all elected officials in an even-handed manner to further advance an intelligent, worthwhile national discussion on this highly significant health policy matter."
The Zogby International survey of 1076 likely U.S. voters, conducted 5/15-18, has an error margin of +/- 3%. Complete survey results are available at www.ahca.org.
Contact: Katherine Lehman
(202) 898-2816
SOURCE American Health Care Association
