New National Poll Finds Americans Don’t Want a Fiscal Cliff Deal that Cuts Nursing Homes

84% believe skilled nursing faces a ‘crisis’ due to cuts
87% believe sequester should not move forward  

A new survey released today by the American Health Care Association (AHCA) found that Americans overwhelmingly oppose budget cuts such as sequestration to fund any fiscal cliff grand bargain. Further, a plurality of registered voters surveyed (46 percent) said not only should the government not impose further cuts, but that lawmakers should provide additional funds to care for the aging baby boomer generation.

“When it comes to skilled nursing centers and the care millions of Americans receive every year, the people have spoken - fiscal cliff negotiations should not include further cuts to seniors," said Governor Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of AHCA. “We hope lawmakers heed these views that are important to their constituents. In fact, more, not less, funding should be the goal of policymakers as boomers continue to age. "

Conducted by New York-based polling house Opinion Access, the national survey of 806 registered voters (+/-3.4%) was fielded November 16-19. When given options on the least acceptable ways to cut the national deficit, a plurality of respondents (37 percent) said “cutting Medicare payments to nursing homes.”

When respondents were asked if a statement indicating inadequate funding to skilled nursing could increase financial hardships to the point where some facilities could close, 61 percent said they would be more likely to support increased funding for care.

View the summary and full poll on the AHCA website.