Many people who are in nursing homes rely on Medicaid to pay their nursing home bills. For each of the following, please tell me if you think this is a major reason, a minor reason, or not a reason why people rely on the Medicaid program to pay for their nursing home bills. How about:

Based on one-half of respondents:

They have not planned ahead, so they do not have the money to pay for their own bills
 65  Major reason
 23  Minor reason
 10  Not a reason
 2   Don’t know/Ref

Their other health insurance does not cover the cost of nursing homes
 76  Major reason 
 17  Minor reason
 4   Not a reason
 4   Don’t know/Ref

They do not have long term care insurance
 79  Major reason
 12  Minor reason
 6   Not a reason
 3   Don’t know/Ref

They do not have family members who are willing or able to pay their nursing home bills
 
 80  Major reason 
 12  Minor reason
 4   Not a reason
 4   Don’t know/Ref

Because Medicare does not pay for long term health care costs
 68  Major reason
 15  Minor reason
 10  Not a reason
 8   Don’t know/Ref

They planned on staying at home and not going into a nursing home
 46  Major reason
 34  Minor reason
 15  Not a reason
 6   Don’t know/Ref

Survey by Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Methodology: Fieldwork conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International, April 1 - May 1, 2005 and based on telephone interviews with a national adult sample of 1,201.