As bird flu continues to circulate among animals in the U.S. with some human cases, about six in 10 (58%) people overall have at least “a fair amount” of trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide reliable information about bird flu, though only 21% have a “great deal of trust,” the latest KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust finds.As the White House withdraws the nomination of Dr. David Weldon to lead the CDC, Republican trust in the agency is low, with about six in 10 (58%) Republicans saying they have little to no trust in the CDC to provide reliable information on bird flu. Most Democrats (72%) and independents (61%) have at least a fair amount of trust in the CDC to provide reliable information on bird flu.

The poll also finds that many people are unaware or unsure about current public health recommendations for preventing the spread of bird flu. For instance, about 4 in 10 adults (39%) are aware that public health officials recommend avoiding raw or unpasteurized milk as a precaution against bird flu, while most either are unsure (50%) or incorrectly say that officials do not recommend avoiding raw milk (11%).

A larger share of Democrats (47%) compared with independents (38%) and Republicans (34%) are aware that public health officials recommend avoiding raw milk. At least half of independents (52%) and Republicans (55%) say they are not sure if this is recommended. However, few across partisans say avoiding unpasteurized milk is not recommended.Amid concerns about egg prices and inflation more broadly, the poll finds nearly nine in 10 adults (86%) are concerned that bird flu will increase the cost of food. Fewer, but still around half (51%), are concerned that bird flu will be the next pandemic in the U.S. or will negatively affect their family’s health (50%). Democrats are almost twice as likely as Republicans to worry that bird flu will be the next pandemic (68% and 36%, respectively) or that it will negatively affect their family’s health (64% and 36%, respectively).

The poll is part of KFF’s Health Information and Trust Initiative, which is aimed at tracking health misinformation in the U.S, analyzing its impact on the American people, and mobilizing media to address the problem.Designed and analyzed by public opinion researchers at KFF, this survey was conducted Feb. 18-25, 2025, online and by telephone among a nationally representative sample of 1,322 U.S. adults in English and in Spanish. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points for the full sample. For results based on other subgroups, the margin of sampling error may be higher.

In this JAMA Health Forum column, KFF Executive Vice President Larry Levitt recalls the mid-1990s’ public backlash against Health Maintenance Organizations (commonly known as HMOs) – all of which preceded the recent outpouring of health insurance concerns – as well as how consumer protections against coverage restrictions have evolved and fallen short.

This chart collection examines five types of indicators: outcomes of treatment, provision of appropriate treatment, patient safety, preventive services, and health system capacity and workforce shortages.

Measuring quality in health care is complex: a vast number of metrics are used to monitor health system performance since there is no singular definition of quality, and data is often limited and delayed. While no single indicator represents overall quality, identifying common trends can help determine whether the U.S. health care system is improving or declining over time and identify areas for improvement.

The chart collection is part of the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, an online information hub dedicated to monitoring and assessing the performance of the U.S. health system.

Introduction

Women’s use of health care services is shaped by a range of factors, including their health needs, health coverage, access and availability of health providers in their communities, and the social determinants of health. This data note presents findings from the KFF Women’s Health Survey on women’s health status, access to health care services, and use of preventive health services. The data are analyzed across different subgroups of women including by age, race/ethnicity, insurance status, poverty level, disability status, and sexual orientation (LGBT+). The KFF Women’s Health Survey is a nationally representative survey of 5,055 women ages 18 to 64, conducted May 15 – June 18, 2024. See the methodology for details.

Key Findings:

Health Status and Ongoing Health Conditions:

• While most women (81%) ages 18 to 64 report being in excellent, very good, or good health, one in five (20%) report being in fair or poor health, with substantial differences by sociodemographic characteristics.
• Half of women report having an ongoing health condition that needs to be monitored regularly or for which they need regular care or medication. Nearly one in five (17%) women say they have an ongoing health condition that keeps them from participating in daily life activities such as school, work or housework.

Site of Care and Access to Services:

• Eight in ten (81%) women report having a regular doctor or health care provider they see when they are sick or need care, but notably, less than half of those who are uninsured have a usual source of care an important access point for health care.
• While the majority of women (59%) rely on a private doctor’s office or HMO when they are sick or in need of health advice, clinics are a key source of care for about four in ten who have lower incomes, Medicaid coverage, are under the age of 25, or are Hispanic.
• Reproductive health care is not universally obtained by all women. Six in ten women between the age of 18 and 64 report having had a gynecological visit in the past two years, but one in 10 (8%) never had a visit, including almost one in five (19%) uninsured women.
• Less than half (47%) of women ages 50 to 64 report that a health care provider has spoken to them about what to expect in menopause.

Use of Preventive Health Services:

• The majority of women (72%) ages 40 to 64 report that they have had a mammogram in the past two years—among uninsured women, the rates are far lower, with less than four in ten (38%) reporting having had a mammogram in the past two years.
• Most women (62%) ages 21-64 report that they had a Pap smear or Pap test in the past two years for cervical cancer screening, with higher screening rates among Black and Hispanic women as well as those with higher incomes and private insurance.
• Almost half (47%) of women ages 45 to 64 report having had a recent colon cancer screening test in the past two years, including higher shares of Black and Hispanic women and women with private or Medicaid coverage.
• Among women ages 18 to 64 who report having sex in the past 12 months, one in three report having had an HIV test (34%) or a test for other STIs such as chlamydia or gonorrhea (37%) in the past two years.

Health Status and Ongoing Health Conditions

The majority of women ages 18 to 64 report being in good or excellent health, but one in five report fair or poor health. Substantial shares of LGBT+ women, women who identify as disabled, those with lower incomes, those with Medicaid coverage, and those without insurance describe their health as fair or poor. Eight in ten women ages 18 to 64 (81%) rate their health as excellent, very good, or good; however, one in five (20%) describe their health as fair or poor (Figure 1). Nearly half (47%) of women who identify as disabled, and over one in four LGBT+ women, women with low incomes, as well as those with Medicaid coverage and without insurance describe their health as fair or poor. Nearly a quarter of mid-life aged (50-64) women, those living in rural areas, and Black and Hispanic women describe their health as fair or poor, which was significantly higher than younger women, those living in urban areas, and White women.

Half of women ages 18 to 64 report that they have an ongoing health condition that needs to be monitored regularly or for which they need regular care or medication (Figure 2). Larger shares of women age 50 to 64 and women with Medicaid coverage report an ongoing health condition compared to women ages 18 to 49 and women with private health care coverage. Rates are also higher among women who are White and Black, compared to those who are Hispanic or Asian or Pacific Islander. Among women who identify as disabled, 86% report having an ongoing health condition that requires regular monitoring, care, or medication.

While half of women report having an ongoing health condition, nearly one in five (17%) say that they have an ongoing health condition that keeps them from participating fully in school, work, housework, or other activities. One in four women with lower incomes (26%), women with Medicaid coverage (26%), women 50 to 64 (23%), and women living in rural areas (24%) report having an ongoing health condition that keeps them from participating fully in daily life. Among women who identify as disabled, two-thirds (65%) report they have an ongoing health condition that keeps them from participating in daily life.

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Site of Care and Access to Services

Most women report having a regular doctor or health care provider they see when they are sick or need care, but less than half of those who were uninsured had a usual source of care. Eight in ten (81%) women ages 18 to 64 say they have a regular doctor or health care provider they usually see when they are sick or need routine care (Figure 3). Larger shares of women ages 50 to 64, Black women, and women who identify as disabled report having a regular doctor or health provider. However, among women who are uninsured, only four in ten (39%) say they have a regular health care provider compared to 85% of women with private insurance or Medicaid.

When they get sick or need advice about their health, the majority (59%) of women go to a private doctor’s office or HMO (Table 1). Three in ten (28%) women go to a clinic, 5% go to an emergency room, and 4% go to some other place for their health care. Overall, four percent of women 18 to 64 report that they do not have a place to go when they are sick or need advice about their health.

While the majority of women go to a private doctor’s office or HMO when they are sick or in need of health advice, women with lower incomes, Medicaid coverage, are under the age of 25, or are Hispanic are more likely to report going to clinics for their usual care (Table 1). Lower shares of Hispanic women, those with lower incomes or Medicaid coverage, those living in rural areas, and LGBT+ women report that their usual place of care is a private doctor’s office or HMO. In contrast, among women who are uninsured, only one in five (19%) say they go to a private doctor’s office for care—four in ten (40%) say they go to a clinic, many of which provide free or reduced cost care thanks to federal and state support, and one in five (18%) report that they do not have a place to go to when they are sick or need advice. Women under the age of 25 are also more likely to rely on clinics for their care and about one-third of women living in rural areas usually get care at a clinic. While only 5% of women report an emergency room as their usual place of care, larger shares of Black (11%) and Hispanic women (6%), women with lower incomes (10%), those with Medicaid coverage (8%) and those who are uninsured (14%) say their usual place of care is an ER.

Almost all women report they have seen a doctor or health provider in the past two years, either in person, over the phone, or virtually. The majority of women report that they have seen a doctor for an in-person visit (93%), while half (48%) report they talked to a provider over the phone or had a virtual visit (considered a telehealth visit) (Figure 4). The share of women who have seen a doctor or health care provider in the past two years either in person or through telehealth does not differ statistically across key demographic groups such as race and ethnicity, income, and age.

Nationally, six in ten (61%) report that they take prescription medications, including birth control pills, on a regular basis (Figure 5). Larger shares of women ages 50 to 64, women with private coverage, and women with higher incomes take prescription medications compared to reproductive age women, women with lower incomes, and women who are uninsured. Use of prescription medications is predicated on access to clinical care which is poorer among many of these groups. White women are more likely to report that they take prescription medications than Asian or Pacific Islander, Black, and Hispanic women. Nine in 10 (88%) women who identify as disabled report that they take prescription medications compared to 57% who do not identify as disabled.

Six in ten (62%) women report having had a gynecological visit in the past two years (Figure 6). Gynecological visits can include pelvic exams, examinations of the female reproductive organs, cervical cancer screenings, discussion and prescriptions of contraceptives, pregnancy planning, and discussions of menopause, among other topics. Twelve percent of women have had a visit in the past two to three years and 18% had a visit more than three years ago. Nearly one in 10 women (8%) have never had a gynecological visit.

Across most subgroups, except for uninsured women, over half of women have had a gynecological visit in the past two years. Among uninsured women, only one in three (35%) have had a gynecological visit in the past two years, and one in five (19%) report that they have never had a gynecological visit. A third of women under the age of 25 report that they have never had a gynecological visit compared to one percent of women ages 50 to 64. One in seven Asian or Pacific Islander women (13%) and LGBT+ women (14%) also report that they have never had a gynecological visit.

Less than half (47%) of women ages 50 to 64 report that a health care provider has spoken to them about what to expect in menopause (Figure 7). A gynecological visit can be an opportune time for providers to discuss menstrual and other changes across the lifespan, but in recent years, there has been an increased recognition that clinicians do not speak often enough about menopause with female patients.

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Use of Preventive Health Services

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires most private health insurance plans and ACA Medicaid expansion programs to cover many recommended preventive services for adults without any patient cost-sharing. Some preventive services are specific to women, including annual checkups, prenatal tests, breast and cervical cancer screenings, prescription contraceptive services and supplies, as well as many services recommended for adults regardless of sex or gender identity. Use of preventive services can lead to early identification of conditions when they are more responsive to medical interventions. Despite the policy’s wide reach and popularity with the public, there have been several legal challenges over elements of the preventive services requirement since it initially took effect, including in a pending case, Braidwood Management Inc. v. Becerra.

The majority of women ages 40 to 64 report that they have had a mammogram in the past two years, with higher rates among Black women. Both the United States Preventive Health Services (USPSTF) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recommend that women ages 40 to 74 with average risk for breast cancer get a screening mammogram at least every two years. Seven in ten (72%) women ages 40 to 64 report having had a mammogram in the past two years (Table 2). Larger shares of Black women (81%) compared to White women (71%) report having had a mammogram in the past two years. Prior research has similarly found that higher shares of Black women report having had a screening mammogram compared to White women. Significantly larger shares of women with private coverage (77%) report having had a mammogram compared to those with Medicaid coverage (66%) or who are uninsured (38%). The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program offers free mammograms to those who are uninsured, but many people may not know of it or how to obtain free or low-cost services.

Most women ages 21-64 report that they have had a Pap smear or Pap test in the past two years for cervical cancer screening, with higher rates among Black and Hispanic women and those with higher incomes and private insurance. USPSTF and HRSA both recommend cervical cancer screenings for women ages 21 to 65, either via a pap smear or a high-risk HPV test or a combination of both every 3 to 5 years, depending on the person’s age. Six in ten women (62%) ages 21 to 64 report having had a pap smear or test in the past two years. Higher shares of Black women (71%) and Hispanic women (65%) report having had a cervical cancer screening compared to White women (59%). Women with private insurance are more likely to have had a cervical cancer screening in the past two years than women who are uninsured. Lower shares of LGBT+ women (56%) and women who identify as disabled (54%) report having had a pap smear or pap test in the past two years compared to non-LGBT+ women (63%) and women who do not identify as disabled (64%).

Fewer women ages 45 to 64 have had a recent colon cancer screening/colonoscopy in the past two years, with lower rates among the uninsured. The USPSTF recommends colon cancer screening (which can include colonoscopies, fetal occult testing, Stool DNA-FIT, or sigmoidoscopy) for all adults ages 45 to 75 every one to ten years, depending on the screening test. In 2021 the USPSTF lowered the age recommendation for starting colon cancer screenings from 50 to 45 in part due to the increasing incidence of colon cancer in younger adults. Almost half (47%) of women ages 45 to 64 report having had a recent colon cancer screening test in the past two years. A higher share of Black (58%) and Hispanic (53%) women report having had a colon cancer screening test in the past two years compared to White women (42%). Significantly higher shares of women with private coverage (47%) and women with Medicaid coverage (50%) report having had a colon cancer screening test in the past two years compared to only 16% of women who are uninsured. Because the question in this survey limits the time period to the last two years, it is likely that a larger share of women in this age group have had a colon cancer screening within the recommended timeframe for their screening test.

Despite clinical recommendations and the fact that they are covered without cost-sharing by most private plans and ACA Medicaid expansion pathways, smaller shares of women report having an HIV test or a test for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the past two years (Figure 9). The USPSTF and HRSA recommend HIV testing for adolescents and adults at least once in their lifetimes, with additional screenings for those at increased risk for HIV infections. Pregnant people should also get tested for HIV during their pregnancies. The USPSTF also recommends chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis screenings for sexually active women and those at increased risk of infection. Among women ages 18 to 64 who report having sex in the past 12 months, one in three report having had an HIV test (34%) or a test for other STIs such as chlamydia or gonorrhea (37%) in the past two years. Recent STI and HIV testing rates are higher among women under the age of 50, those who identify as LGBT+, Asian or Pacific Islander, Black and Hispanic women, women with lower incomes, those who identify as disabled, and women with Medicaid.

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Women’s health outcomes are shaped not only by access to care, health insurance, and affordability, but also by the social and economic factors that drive health, discrimination, and experiences within the health care system. When people feel discriminated against or are treated disrespectfully in healthcare settings, they are more likely to avoid medical care, which can lead to worse health outcomes, especially among more at-risk populations.

This data note presents findings from the 2024 KFF Women’s Health Survey on women’s experiences with disrespectful and unfair treatment as well as negative interactions with providers during health care visits in the past two years. The 2024 KFF Women’s Health Survey was fielded from May 15 to June 18, 2024, and was developed and analyzed by KFF staff. It is a nationally representative survey of 5,055 women and 1,191 men ages 18 to 64. See the methodology for detailed definitions, sampling design, and margins of sampling error.

Disrespectful or Unfair Treatment

The majority of women (95%) and men (87%) ages 18 to 64 report having seen a health care provider, either in-person or via telehealth over the past two years (Appendix Figure 1). However, among those who have seen a provider, nearly one in four women ages 18 to 64 (23%) report that a doctor, health provider, or other staff has treated them unfairly or with disrespect in the past two years, a rate that is somewhat higher than the share reported by men (18%) (Figure 1). For both men and women, weight is the most common reason identified as to why they were treated unfairly or with disrespect. Overall, one in seven (15%) women say that they were treated unfairly or with disrespect because of their weight, and one in 10 (9%) identified their age and/or gender as the reason why they were treated poorly. Seven percent of women report they were treated unfairly or with disrespect because of their race.

Overall, somewhat larger shares of Black (26%) and Hispanic (25%) women report that they have been treated unfairly or with disrespect by a doctor, health provider, or other staff in the past 2 years compared to White women (21%) (Figure 2). One in five Black women (19%) report that they have been treated unfairly or with disrespect because of their race. One in 10 (9%) Hispanic women and 7% of Asian or Pacific Islander women also identify their race as the reason why they were treated poorly by a health provider while only 2% of White women identify their race as the reason. Larger shares of Black and Hispanic women report that their accent or ability to speak English was the reason they were treated unfairly or with disrespect compared to White women.

Women of reproductive age (18 to 49), women with lower incomes, LGBT+ women, and women who identify as disabled are more likely to report that they have been treated unfairly or with disrespect compared to women 50 to 64, women with higher incomes, non-LGBT+ women and women who do not identify as disabled. Among women who identify as disabled one in five women (19%) say they were treated poorly due to a disability they have.

Across the majority of subgroups, weight is the most common reason identified by women about why they were treated unfairly or with disrespect. Weight stigma and discrimination can reduce the quality of care patients receive and patient satisfaction. It can also lead to an increase in stress for a patient and affect their short- and long-term health outcomes. Similar shares of White (15%), Hispanic (15%), and Black (13%) women identify their weight as the reason why they were treated poorly by a health provider in the past two years, while only 8% of Asian or Pacific Islander women say the same. Twice as many LGBT+ women (26%) women and women who identify as disabled (24%) compared to non-LGBT+ women (13%) and women who do not identify as disabled (13%) say that weight was the reason they were treated unfairly or with disrespect by a health care provider.

Negative Health Care Experiences

One in three women (34%) who have seen a provider in the past two years report having at least one of several negative experiences (Figure 3). One in five women (20%) said a health provider has ignored a direct request they made or question they asked, and another one in five (19%) report that a provider has assumed something about them without asking. Nearly one in five women say that a provider didn’t believe they were telling the truth, and one in seven (13%) say their provider suggested they were personally to blame for a health problem they were experiencing. One in 10 women say their provider has refused to prescribe them pain medication they thought they needed.

Significantly larger shares of LGBT+ women and women who identify as disabled have had a negative experience with a health care provider in the past two years (Figure 4). About half of LGBT+ women (51%) and women with disabilities (47%) report having had a negative experience with a health provider in the past two years. Across all five of the negative experiences asked about on the survey, larger shares of LGBT+ women and women who identify as disabled say they have experienced each compared to non-LGBT+ women and women who do not identify as disabled. Prior KFF research has found that LGBT+ adults are more likely than non-LGBT+ adults to report adverse consequences because of negative interactions with health providers and are more likely to take steps to mitigate or prepare for unfair treatment when receiving care.

Similarly, larger shares of women with lower incomes report having had a negative experience with a health provider in the past two years compared to women with higher incomes.

There are several options under consideration in Congress to significantly reduce Medicaid spending to help pay for tax cuts, with the recently passed House budget resolution targeting cuts to Medicaid of up to $880 billion or more over a decade. Medicaid is the primary program providing comprehensive health and long-term care to 83 million people living in the U.S (particularly those with low-incomes) and accounts for nearly $1 out of every $5 spent on health care. Medicaid is administered by states within broad federal rules and jointly funded by states and the federal government, meaning restrictions in federal Medicaid spending could leave states with tough choices on how to offset reductions through cuts to Medicaid, cuts to other programs, or tax increases.

In the months ahead, members of Congress will be considering and voting on various proposals to cut the Medicaid program. President Trump and Speaker Johnson have promised to leave Medicaid intact, cutting only fraud, waste, and abuse. However, if Medicaid is cut by $880 billion over 10 years, that would reduce federal spending by 13% relative to KFF’s projections of Medicaid spending under current law (which estimate spending growth using the Congressional Budget Office’s Medicaid projections). Cuts of that magnitude would force states to raise new revenues or reduce Medicaid spending by eliminating coverage for some people, covering fewer services, or cutting payment rates for providers.

The interactive maps below illustrate how many people are enrolled in Medicaid and what percentage of the population is enrolled in Medicaid for each congressional district. Enrollment numbers include enrollment in each of the major Medicaid eligibility groups, highlighting whose coverage may be at risk in upcoming deliberations. Key takeaways include:

• There are 53,000 or more Medicaid enrollees living in each congressional district, with enrollment as high as 510,000 in some districts. In each congressional district, there are at least: 3,500 Medicaid enrollees ages 65 and older, 2,000 enrollees eligible because of a disability, 7,400 child enrollees, and 5,300 other adult enrollees.
• In half of all Republican congressional districts, 21% or more of the population is enrolled in Medicaid; and in half of all Democratic districts, 26% or more of the population is enrolled in Medicaid.
• Republican districts have a higher share of Medicaid enrollees who are children and who are eligible because of a disability compared with Democratic districts that have a higher share of expansion enrollees and adults ages 65 and older.
• The top 10 Republican districts with the highest number of Medicaid enrollees are: CA22 (495,200); KY05 (397,800); CA23 (355,400); CA01 (316,800); LA05 (312,600); NY11 (304,100); LA03 (303,000); WV01 (300,100); LA04 ( 288,400); and WA04 (278,000).
• The top 10 Democratic districts with the highest number of Medicaid enrollees are: NY15 (510,100); CA43 (473,500); CA37 (470,600); CA21 (462,900); CA34 (453,800); NY13 (426,200); NY14 (423,800); CA13 (417,800); AZ03 (410,900) and CA25 (397,400).

As Congress considers changes to the Medicaid program as part of the budget debate, relatively few (17%) in the public say they want to see a reduction in Medicaid spending, with larger shares saying they want spending to stay about the same (40%) or increase (42%), a new KFF Health Tracking Poll finds.

Support for Medicaid spending cuts is relatively low even among traditionally conservative groups, including Republicans (33% favor cuts), people who voted for Donald Trump (35% favor cuts), and people living in rural communities (23% favor cuts). Across each of these groups, larger shares say they want Congress to maintain or increase Medicaid spending.

More than half of the public say either  they themselves have ever been covered by Medicaid (18%) or that a family member has ever been covered (35%). An additional 13% say that they have a close friend who has ever been covered by the program.

Substantial shares of Democrats (52%), independents (57%), and Republicans (44%) say they or a family member has ever been covered by Medicaid, as do substantial shares of those who voted for President Trump (44%) and former Vice President Harris (51%), and those who live in rural areas (54%).

Perhaps relatedly, nearly three-quarters (73%) of the public say that Medicaid is “very important” to their local community. This includes a similar share of rural residents (75%), as well as majorities of Republicans (61%), Trump voters (61%), and rural Trump voters (66%).

Those who are currently enrolled in Medicaid or have a family member who is are even more likely to say the program is “very important” to their communities (85% overall, including 90% of those living in rural areas).

“I am about ready to say Medicaid is up there with Social Security and Medicare on the public’s do-not-cut list,” KFF President and CEO Drew Altman said. “That’s a real change since the beginning of the program, and one that Republicans in Washington are coming to grips with.”

While President Trump and some Republican lawmakers have described potential changes to Medicaid as efforts to make the program better, three-quarters (75%) of the public say potential changes to Medicaid are more about “reducing federal government spending,” three times the share (23%) who say they are more about “improving how the program works for people.”

Majorities across political parties, including most Trump voters (57%), say the changes are more about reducing federal spending than improving how the program works for people.

Views on Work Requirements and Medicaid Expansion Funding Can Shift with Arguments

While budget plans under consideration in Congress target substantial cuts to Medicaid, no specific changes have been formally proposed yet. The poll gauges the public’s views on two potential options that have been under consideration: work requirements and decreasing federal funding for the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion. The poll finds the public’s views are somewhat fluid and can change when presented with arguments that are made for or against them as would happen during a public debate.

For example, about six in 10 (62%) adults initially say they favor requiring nearly all adults to work or be looking for work in order to have health insurance through Medicaid. Support falls to just 32% when people are told that most Medicaid enrollees are already working and that many would be at risk of losing coverage because of paperwork challenges.

In contrast, support for work requirements grows to 77% when people hear the argument made by supporters that work requirements could ensure Medicaid is reserved for the elderly, people with disabilities, and low-income children.

Similarly, when asked about reducing the federal government’s share of the costs of covering low-income childless adults through the ACA’s Medicaid expansion, most (59%) initially say they would oppose it, while 40% say they would support it.

When told that such a change would reduce federal spending by $600 billion over 10 years, views shift slightly so that equal shares support (49%) and oppose (50%) such a policy. In contrast, opposition to the change grows to 75% when people are told states wouldn’t be able to make up the rest of the difference and that 20 million people could lose their Medicaid coverage and become uninsured.

Arguments made by proponents and opponents of policies may or may not be entirely accurate. KFF has long tested them to understand how public opinion may respond to actual debate.

Other findings include:

• Just over a third (37%) of the public are aware that most working-age adults with Medicaid coverage are working, while a majority (62%) incorrectly says they are unemployed. Republicans (77%) and Trump voters (76%) are more likely than others to be unaware that most working-age people with Medicaid are currently working.
• About half (53%) of the public correctly says that undocumented immigrants are not eligible for federally funded health insurance such as Medicaid, while the rest are either unsure (28%) or incorrectly say that undocumented immigrants are eligible for coverage (18%). Republicans are more likely than Democrats to incorrectly believe undocumented immigrants are eligible for federal health insurance programs (21% vs. 14%).
• Many are also confused about Medicaid’s role in paying for nursing home care and other extended long-term care services for low-income, elderly and disabled people. About four in 10 (38%) correctly identify Medicaid as the program that does this, while most either incorrectly believe Medicare pays for such care (26%) or are not sure which program does (31%).
• About half (49%) of rural residents say there are not enough primary care doctors in their community to serve local residents. Even larger shares say there are not enough specialists (71%) or mental health providers (67%). A third (34%) say there are not enough hospitals.

Designed and analyzed by public opinion researchers at KFF, the survey was conducted Feb. 18-25, 2025, online and by telephone in English and in Spanish among a nationally representative sample of 1,322 U.S. adults, including an oversample of rural adults (n=337). The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points for the full sample. For results based on other subgroups, the margin of sampling error may be higher.