Medicare

How long do you think it will be until the costs of the Medicare and Social Security programs create a crisis for the federal government -- are they already creating a crisis, will they create a crisis within the next 10 years, within 10 to 20 years, in more than 20 years, or not for the foreseeable future?

Do you think the government should completely overhaul Medicare to control the cost of the program, make major changes to Medicare but not completely overhaul it, make minor changes to Medicare, or should the government not try to control the costs of Medicare?

Now I'd like to ask you about the major entitlement programs the government is committed to, including Social Security and Medicare. Do you think the cost of these programs will create major economic problems for the U.S. in the next 25 years if no changes are made to them, or not?

(Asked of those who think entitlement problems will create economic problems)

Which of the following would you favor as a way to address economic problems created by major entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare -- [ROTATED: Cutting back on benefits the government provides future retirees and not increasing taxes, increasing taxes and not cutting back on benefits the government provides future retirees,] or a combination of both benefit cuts and tax increases?

BASED ON WHO THINK ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS WILL CREATE PROBLEMS IN THE ECONOMY

If the cost of major entitlement programs does create major economic problems for the U.S., do you think the government should or should not do each of the following to deal with the situation? How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

A. Raise taxes

B. Cut benefits

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