Bipartisan POS/Hart Research Associates Poll Finds 82 Percent of U.S. Registered Voters Oppose Reducing Medicare for U.S. Seniors' Nursing Home Care; 55 Percent "Strongly Oppose"

Overwhelming 86 Percent of Democrats, 83 Percent of Independents, 78 Percent of Republicans Express Opposition; Key U.S. Health Sector Undermined by Recession, 11.1 Percent Medicare Funding Reduction, State Medicaid Cuts

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A key national long term and post-acute care leader says a new bipartisan Public Opinion Strategies (R)/Hart Research Associates (D) survey finding overwhelming opposition to reducing U.S. seniors' Medicare-funded nursing home care reflects a common sense perception among the public-at-large that the deep economic recession, coupled with recent Medicare and Medicaid funding reductions, has taken a significant toll on the stability of the skilled nursing facility (SNF) sector, its workforce, and the patients under their care.

"This historic U.S. recession – coupled with a recent 11.1 percent Medicare funding reduction and the fact 40 states have either cut or frozen Medicaid payments since 2009 -- has significantly undermined the stability of the nation's SNF sector, which is America's second largest health facility employer, and a bedrock of job creation throughout rural, suburban and urban America," stated Alan G. Rosenbloom, President of the Alliance. "As Washington lawmakers begin making key federal budgetary decisions, we respectfully urge lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to review these significant bipartisan polling results, which we believe reflect an important local understanding that preserving, protecting and defending quality nursing home care merits budgetary priority."

The new survey, conducted for the Alliance January 26-30, surveyed 800 registered voters (RVs) (700 landline/100 cell), and has an error margin of +/- 3.46 percent. The national RV sample is 38 percent Republican, 41 percent Democrat and 20 percent Independent. All questions and results are available at www.aqnhc.org. Among the key questions and results:

"Would you...(ROTATE)...favor or oppose...the government reducing the amount Medicare pays to nursing homes? (IF FAVOR/OPPOSE, THEN ASK:) And do you strongly (favor/oppose) that or just somewhat (favor/oppose) the government reducing the amount Medicare pays to nursing homes?"

15%    TOTAL FAVOR
82%    TOTAL OPPOSE
6%     STRONGLY FAVOR
9%     SOMEWHAT FAVOR
27%   SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
55%   STRONGLY OPPOSE
3%     NO OPINION/DK

"The fact that a bipartisan national survey finds 86 percent of Democrats, 83 percent of independents and 78 percent of Republicans in opposition to reducing Medicare-funded nursing home care is information we intend to ensure is well known on Capitol Hill and in states across the nation," Rosenbloom continued.

Last week, the Alliance released a new Avalere survey finding 40 states have either cut or frozen seniors' Medicaid-financed nursing home care between 2009 and 2011 – a survey which represents the most comprehensive publicly available multi-year evaluation of state Medicaid SNF payment rates. Rosenbloom says the Avalere study on state Medicaid rates underscores the challenges facing the SNF sector, and illustrates the importance of ensuring stability in Medicare-funded nursing home care in the weeks and months ahead.

The Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care is a coalition of 10 leading post-acute and long term care organizations providing Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) care in approximately 1,400 facilities, in 44 states nationwide.
 

SOURCE Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care