This document summarizes the results of a survey conducted in January 2013 regarding American public opinions on various health care issues. Some key findings include: - Creating health insurance exchanges was the top priority for states according to respondents. Expanding Medicaid and limiting access to reproductive health services were also priorities. - A majority of respondents supported expanding Medicaid to cover more low-income individuals. However, support differed along party lines, with Democrats being more supportive than Republicans. - Respondents were opposed to spending cuts for programs like education, Medicare, and Social Security but more open to cuts for other areas like foreign aid and federal workers' salaries. - Seniors were more likely than younger age groups to say Medicare

1. NOTE: Some items asked of half sample. Don’t know/Refused answers not shown.
SOURCE: Kaiser Family Foundation/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health, The Public’s Health Care
Agenda for the 113th Congress (conducted January 3-9, 2013)
Creating Health Insurance Exchanges Tops The Priority List
For States
20%
30%
30%
33%
37%
39%
55%
26%
35%
35%
33%
30%
36%
31%
14%
16%
12%
10%
10%
11%
6%
39%
17%
21%
22%
20%
12%
5%
Top Priority Important but a lower priority Not too important Should not be done
Now I’d like to ask you about possible priorities for your state’s governor and legislature when it comes to health
policy this year. Should each of the following be a top priority, important but a lower priority, not too important or
should it not be done?
50%
Creating a health insurance exchange or marketplace
Supporting women’s access to family planning and
other reproductive health services
Increasing state regulation of health insurance
premiums
Increasing state regulation of charges by doctors and
hospitals
Expanding Medicaid
Creating or supporting programs to fight obesity
Limiting women’s access to family planning and
other reproductive health services

2. NOTE: Other/Neither (vol.) and Don’t know/Refused answers not shown.
SOURCE: Kaiser Family Foundation/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health, The Public’s Health Care
Agenda for the 113th Congress (conducted January 3-9, 2013)
More Support Than Oppose Medicaid Expansion
As you may know, the health care law expands Medicaid to provide health insurance to more low-income uninsured
adults. The federal government will initially pay the entire cost of this expansion, and after several years, states will
pay 10 percent and the federal government will pay 90 percent. The Supreme Court ruled that states may choose
whether or not to participate in this expansion. What do you think your state should do?
66%
45%
23%
42%
27%
46%
75%
52%
Republicans
Independents
Democrats
Total
Keep Medicaid as it is today Expand Medicaid to cover more low-income people

3. NOTE: Some items asked of separate half samples. Don’t know/Refused answers not shown.
SOURCE: Kaiser Family Foundation/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health, The Public’s Health Care
Agenda for the 113th Congress (conducted January 3-9, 2013)
Majority Want No Spending Cuts To Education, Medicare,
And Social Security
If the president and Congress decide to reduce the deficit by reducing spending on federal programs and services,
I’d like to know which programs you would be wiling to see spending reduced. For each program I name, please tell
me if you would support major spending reductions, minor spending reductions or no reductions at all as a way to
reduce the federal deficit.
9%
13%
15%
27%
29%
31%
32%
40%
46%
58%
58%
61%
34%
27%
39%
50%
41%
40%
47%
34%
37%
29%
31%
23%
52%
54%
43%
21%
28%
26%
18%
24%
16%
12%
10%
14%
Foreign Aid
The conflict in Afghanistan
Salaries and benefits for federal government workers
Unemployment insurance
Food stamps
National defense
Aid to farmers
Health insurance subsidies
Medicaid
Social Security
Medicare
Public education
No reductions Minor reductions Major reductions

4. SOURCE: Kaiser Family Foundation/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health, The Public’s Health Care
Agenda for the 113th Congress (conducted January 3-9, 2013)
Seniors Most Likely To Say Medicare Is Working Well
Would you say the current Medicare program is working well for most seniors, or not?
80%
62%
52%
60%
15%
29%
31%
28%
5%
9%
17%
12%
65+
50-64
18-49
Total
Yes, Medicare is working well No, Medicare is not working well Don't know/Refused

5. NOTE: Asked of half sample. Don’t know/Refused answers not shown.
SOURCE: Kaiser Family Foundation/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health, The Public’s Health Care
Agenda for the 113th Congress (conducted January 3-9, 2013)
Most Believe Deficit Reduction Can Happen Without Cutting
Medicare
76%
73%
81%
75%
21%
20%
13%
19%
Republicans
Independents
Democrats
Total
Can reduce deficit without reductions in Medicare
Medicare spending needs cuts to reduce deficit
Which comes closer to your opinion: if the president and Congress made the right changes, they could reduce the
federal budget deficit without major reductions in Medicare spending, or in order to significantly reduce the federal
budget deficit, the president and Congress will need to make major cuts in Medicare spending?

6. NOTE: Don’t know/Refused answers not shown.
SOURCE: Kaiser Family Foundation/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health, The Public’s Health Care
Agenda for the 113th Congress (conducted January 3-9, 2013)
Support For Various Deficit Reducing Changes to Medicare
I’m going to read you some changes to the Medicare program that have been discussed as ways to reduce the
federal budget deficit. Please tell me whether you would generally favor or oppose each one.
3%
16%
23%
26%
32%
68%
10%
27%
23%
22%
27%
17%
24%
22%
21%
12%
17%
6%
61%
33%
30%
39%
21%
7%
Strongly favor Somewhat favor Somewhat oppose Strongly oppose
50%
Requiring drug companies to give the federal government a
better deal on medications for low-income people on
Medicare
Requiring only high income seniors to pay higher Medicare
premiums
Gradually raising the age of eligibility for Medicare from 65
to 67 for future retirees
Reducing payments to hospitals and other health care
providers for treating people covered by Medicare
Increasing the payroll taxes workers and employers pay to
help fund Medicare
Requiring all seniors to pay higher Medicare premiums

7. 42%
67%
35%
14%
32%
21%
34%
50%
21%
8%
26%
35%
Total
Democrats
Independents
Republicans
NOTE: Don’t know/Refused answers not shown.
SOURCE: Kaiser Family Foundation/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health, The Public’s Health Care
Agenda for the 113th Congress (conducted January 3-9, 2013)
Partisan Differences On Role Of Government In Health Care
When it comes to making the health care system in American work well, do you think each of the following should
play a major role, a minor role or no role?
27%
38%
58%
43%
48%
41%
32%
39%
22%
17%
8%
14%
Major role Minor role No role
The federal government State governments

8. NOTE: Asked of half sample in 2013. Only responses of 10% or more shown. Other and Don’t know/Refused answers not shown.
SOURCE: Kaiser Family Foundation/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health, The Public’s Health Care
Agenda for the 113th Congress (conducted January 3-9, 2013); Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health
(conducted April 11-15, 2007)
Threat Of Obesity Up Over Time, HIV/AIDS Down
56%
35%
30%
26%
10%
54%
31%
14%
6%
32%
Cancer
Heart disease
Diabetes
Obesity
HIV
2013 2007
What two diseases or health conditions do you think pose the greatest health threats to the American public?
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