Medicaid Cuts Are Undemocratic and Not What the American People Want

“Do I think anybody listens? No, they don’t talk to us…This is our tax dollars. Most of us have worked. I’ve worked in this country since I was 14. I’m 61. And people that are on Medicaid aren’t less than. Even if I wasn’t on Medicaid or never had to use it a day in my life, I know that these people are not less than. Why are they treated like less than?”

These are the sentiments of a low-income working woman in rural Pennsylvania who participated in a research study about her experiences with Medicaid. As Congressional Republicans close in on massive Medicaid cuts, the idea that no one is listening is proving true. With more than 70 million Americans enrolled in Medicaid and nearly two-thirds of the public reporting that someone close to them has received help from Medicaid, many people have clear preferences about what happens to the program. In a democracy, this should matter. The needs and desires of those who are most affected by policy should be central guideposts for policymakers. Instead, there is a glaring disconnect between what Congress is doing and what most Americans want. This indifference by elected officials is fundamentally undemocratic, and it risks harming the health of the millions of Americans who stand to lose health insurance under the currently proposed legislation.

As Medicaid researchers, we assessed public attitudes toward Medicaid funding cuts by conducting a survey in April 2025. The survey included 1,571 Americans from a wide range of socioeconomic, political, and demographic backgrounds. The results revealed that Americans from across the political spectrum oppose cuts to Medicaid, believe that the program is effective, and are willing to take steps to defend Medicaid. These three key patterns underscore the disconnect between what people want and what Congress is doing.

Exhibit 1. Responses to the question, “Do you want to see Congress increase spending on Medicaid, decrease spending on Medicaid, or keep spending on Medicaid about the same?”¹

Notes: ¹Weighted to Black & White U.S. adults. Margin of Standard Error: +/- 3.2%. ² Party column omits “Another party” (N = 35). 

Source: Adapted from the Collaborative on Media & Messaging for Health and Social Policy

1. Medicaid has strong support across the political spectrum

Three out of four Americans believe Congress should maintain or increase Medicaid spending. Despite the stark partisan nature of the legislation currently on the table, opposition to Medicaid cuts spans partisan divides. There is near total opposition to cuts from Democrats (94%), but there is also very strong opposition among Independents (81%) and significant pushback from Republicans (51%). State-level patterns similarly reflect deep opposition to cuts in red states, where 74% oppose spending cuts, as well as in blue states, where 78% oppose cuts. Among Medicaid beneficiaries, for whom the stakes are exceptionally high, 88% oppose cuts. But even people who do not receive Medicaid oppose decreased Medicaid spending (73%).

2. Most people think that Medicaid is effective at providing coverage and protecting access to health care

Americans view Medicaid more positively than political rhetoric suggests. While Medicaid cuts are being framed as reforms to address the unsubstantiated problems of fraud, waste, and abuse, overwhelming numbers of Americans realize that Medicaid is effectively doing what it was designed to do. Roughly 67% of Republicans and 90% of Democrats believe that Medicaid is effective at keeping people from becoming uninsured. Similarly, 68% of Republicans and 92% of Democrats believe that Medicaid is effective at protecting access to health care. And most Americans recognize who stands to suffer acutely in the face of cuts: 71% of Republicans and 94% of Democrats think that Medicaid is effective at protecting the health of families with low incomes.

3. Many people are willing to take action to protect Medicaid

In a democracy, public opinion only goes so far. Our data suggest that people who feel strongly about these issues are ready to do more than answer a poll. More than half (56%) of those who oppose Medicaid cuts said they were likely to search for information about protecting Medicaid, and almost half (45%) stated that they would likely try to raise awareness about efforts to protect Medicaid. Importantly, 40% would likely contact and urge elected officials to protect Medicaid, a percentage statistically identical among residents of states that Trump won in 2024 (39%) and those that Harris won (41%). Furthermore, more than a quarter (26%) stated that they would likely identify and contact groups working to protect Medicaid, and one in five (21%) indicated that they would volunteer their time to campaign for a political candidate because they support protecting Medicaid in their state.

The American people have a vested interest in protecting Medicaid, and their perspectives warrant the attention of our elected officials. Congress is supposed to serve the people. If elected officials abdicate their responsibility or refuse to do so, a large and diverse group of people is poised to act. This potential for the exercise of democratic accountability may be the most promising beacon of light in a moment of peril for an immensely popular, lifesaving program.

This research was conducted through the Collaborative on Media and Messaging for Health and Social Policy and included contributions from Jeff Niederdeppe, Norman Porticella, and Erika Franklin Fowler. Full data tables are available at https://commhsp.org/april-2025-public-opinion-on-medicaid/.

Support for this research was provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (grant #79754). The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

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