Only 17 percent of adults say they want to see Medicaid funding decreased, while 42 percent think funding should increase and 40 percent think it should be kept about the same, according to results of the February 2025 KFF Health Tracking Poll.
Poll respondents who say Medicaid funding should either increase or be kept about the same include the majority of Democrats, Republicans, independents, Trump voters, and adults living in rural areas; however, about one-third of Republicans would like to see spending decrease.
Most respondents reported a connection to the program. Fifty-three percent of adults say they or a family member has been a Medicaid recipient at some point, including 44 percent of Republicans and 45 percent of those who voted for President Trump in 2024. Whether they have a connection or not, nearly all adults polled (97 percent) agreed that Medicaid is at least somewhat important for people in their local community, with 73 percent saying it is "very important."
Some of the negative views about Medicaid are due to misconceptions about how the program works. Sixty-two percent of the public incorrectly believe that most working-age adults on Medicaid are unemployed. Support for work requirements drops from 62 to 32 percent when those who initially supported requirements learn that most people on Medicaid are already working and many would risk losing coverage if burdened by proving eligibility through paperwork.
"Public confusion about who is covered by Medicaid and what services it covers persists," the pollsters said in a statement. "Slightly less than half (47 percent) of adults are either unsure or incorrectly believe undocumented immigrants are eligible for health insurance programs paid for [by] the federal government, although they are not. Additionally, most of the public does not know that Medicaid pays for nursing home care and other extended long-term care services for low-income, elderly, and disabled people."