The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation released a poll on June 29, which finds very strong opposition to cuts to Medicaid, such as those in progress here in Tennessee. The "Democratic" Governor of Tennessee is in the process of cutting roughly 300,000 from the state's expanded Medicaid program, TennCare. The Governor's health care policy includes severely limiting the benefits of hundreds of thousands more.
According to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation:
Fully 74% of Americans oppose state Medicaid Cuts.
Fully 65% oppose limits to prescription drugs under Medicaid.
The public is also strongly opposed to cuts at the federal level.
"About 80 percent of respondents supported increasing or maintaining the current level of federal Medicaid funding, while only 12 percent supported reducing federal funds for the program.
The survey also indicates that 74 percent of the public considers Medicaid a "very important" government program, behind only Social Security (88 percent) and Medicare (83 percent).
Democrats were somewhat more likely to designate Medicaid "very important" -- 81 percent -- compared to 79 percent for Independents and 61 percent for Republicans. Democrats also were more likely to oppose cuts to Medicaid and support increasing federal spending on the program."
It stands to reason that an equally large number of Americans will oppose the re-election of governors who ignore the people's wishes and enact severe Medicaid cuts.
Governor Bredesen (D) of Tennessee is currently enforcing the largest cuts to health care - for the elderly, sick, disabled and poor - in the history of the country.
No Surprise that the Democratic Governor is more popular with Republicans than Democrats.
Please Contact Governor Bredesen and tell him that 74% of Americans oppose what he is doing. Phone: 615.741.2001, Fax: 615.532.9711, Email: phil.bredesen@state.tn.us
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