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Medicare

Is the Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage Program Working?

As you may know, a new government program began on January 1st that provides prescription drug coverage to Medicare recipients. Based on what you have read or heard, do you think that program is working or not working?

Working

Not working

No opinion

%

%

%

National adults

2006 Apr 28-30

36

49

15

2006 Jan 20-22

27

54

20

Adults aged 65+

2006 Apr 28-30

33

53

13

2006 Jan 20-22

20

58

22


Would you be more likely or less likely to vote for a member of Congress who supported the Medicare prescription drug benefit program?


More
likely


Less
likely

No difference (vol.)


No
opinion

%

%

%

%

National adults

2006 Apr 28-30

57

29

7

7

Adults aged 65+

2006 Apr 28-30

57

32

5

6

2006 Jan 20-22

53

34

6

7

2005 Dec 16-18

51

31

15

3

2005 Dec 9-11

50

33

11

6


Do you think it would be better to have -- [ROTATED: the government (or) private insurance companies] -- administer the prescription drug plan for Medicare recipients?


Government

Private insurance companies

No
opinion

2006 Jan 20-22

43%

47

10


Have you, personally, joined the new prescription drug benefit program for Medicare recipients, do you plan to join, or do you not plan to join?

BASED ON ADULTS AGED 65 AND OLDER


Joined

Plan
to join

Do not
plan to join

No
opinion

2006 Jan 20-22

22%

15

55

7


Has anyone in your immediate family joined the new prescription drug benefit program for Medicare recipients, or not?

BASED ON ADULTS UNDER AGE 65

Yes, have

No, have not

No opinion

2006 Jan 20-22

24%

70

6


How well do you, personally, understand the prescription drug benefit program that will be offered to Medicare recipients -- very well, somewhat well, not too well, or not at all?

BASED ON ADULTS AGED 65 AND OLDER

Very
well

Somewhat
well

Not too
well

Not
at all

No
opinion

%

%

%

%

%

2005 Dec 16-18

14

21

30

32

3

2005 Dec 9-11

20

22

26

29

3

2005 Sep 26-28

12

25

32

29

2

2005 Aug 5-7

12

25

33

26

4

2005 Jul 22-24

11

23

40

24

2


Do you plan to join the new prescription drug benefit program for Medicare recipients, or not?

BASED ON ADULTS AGED 65 AND OLDER

Yes

No

No opinion

%

%

%

2005 Dec 16-18

28

67

5

2005 Dec 9-11

34

56

10

2005 Sep 26-28

24

54

22

2005 Aug 5-7

24

63

13

2005 Jul 22-24

20

65

15


Do you think the program would save you a lot of money on prescription drugs, save you a little money, or not save you any money at all?

BASED ON ADULTS AGED 65 AND OLDER

Save
a lot

Save
a little

Not save any

No
opinion

2005 Dec 16-18

7%

35

51

7

2005 Dec 9-11

7%

39

47

7


Thinking now about different ways the government could help pay for prescription drugs for older Americans, which would you prefer -- [ROTATED: a single government plan that covers the same medications and that costs the same for everybody (or) a choice of plans from HMOs and other private companies that vary in what medications they cover and how much they cost]?

Single
government plan

Choice of
private plans

No
opinion

2005 Mar 18-20

62%

34

4


As you may know, there is a new Medicare law that deals with prescription drug benefits for senior citizens and changes the way Medicare will cover the medical expenses of some senior citizens. Based on what you have heard or read, do you favor or oppose the new prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients?

Favor

Oppose

No opinion

National adults

2004 Mar 26-28

41%

35

24

2003 Dec 5-7

52%

30

18

Age 65 and older

2004 Mar 26-28

36%

48

16

2003 Dec 5-7

46%

39

15


Which of the following best describes your view of what the changes to Medicare prescription coverage will do to assist seniors who have problems paying for prescription drugs -- [ROTATED: it will help the situation, it will not have much effect, or it will hurt the situation]?

Help

Not have
much effect


Hurt

No
opinion

2004 Mar 26-28

35%

30

20

15


Will it [help the situation/hurt the situation] a lot, or a little?

[COMBINED RESPONSES]



Help
a lot



Help
a little

Not have much effect



Hurt
a little



Hurt
a lot



No
opinion

2004 Mar 26-28

10%

25

30

5

15

15


Which of the following best describes your view of what the changes to Medicare will do to solve the problem of making the Medicare system financially secure for the future -- [ROTATED: it will help the situation, it will not have much effect, or it will hurt the situation]?

Help

Not have
much effect


Hurt

No
opinion

2004 Mar 26-28

18%

37

28

17


Will it [help the situation/hurt the situation] a lot, or a little?

[COMBINED RESPONSES]



Help
a lot



Help
a little

Not have much effect



Hurt
a little



Hurt
a lot



No
opinion

2004 Mar 26-28

7%

11

37

10

18

17


Do you think the Bush administration deliberately misled the American public about the costs of the new Medicare law, or not?

Yes, deliberately misled

No,
did not

No
opinion

2004 Mar 26-28

40%

46

14


How well do you, personally, understand the recent changes made to Medicare -- very well, somewhat well, not too well, or not at all?

[BASED ON 228 ADULTS AGED 65 AND OLDER]


Very
well

Somewhat
well


Not too well



Not at all


No
opinion

2004 Mar 26-28

16%

42

34

7

1


Do you think the -- [RANDOM ORDER]-- go too far, are about right, or do not go far enough?

A. New prescription drug benefits for Medicare recipients

Too
far

About
right

Not far
enough

No
opinion

2004 Jan 2-5

9%

27

53

11


B. Changes made in Medicare coverage

Too
far

About
right

Not far
enough

No
opinion

2004 Jan 2-5

12%

27

50

11



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