The poll gauged public opinion on several specific issues:

On Medicaid, a contentious issue as the administration and congressional Republicans weigh budget cuts to help finance tax cuts, three-quarters of the public say they oppose major federal spending cuts.
About 75% oppose major cuts to states for mental health and addiction prevention services. This includes a narrow majority of Republicans (58%) and large majorities of Democrats (89%) and independents (75%).
Seven in 10 oppose major cuts for funding to track infectious disease outbreaks. This includes half of Republicans and large majorities of Democrats (89%) and independents (74%).
Sixty-nine percent oppose major cuts to research at universities and medical center, including 92% of Democrats and 69% of independents. By contrast, most Republicans (56%) favor such cuts.
Nearly two-thirds oppose reducing federal funding to help people pay premiums for health coverage purchased through Affordable Care Act marketplaces. This includes large majorities of Democrats (88%) and independents (65%). Most Republicans, (61%) favor such cuts.
Most of the public also opposes major staffing cuts to key federal health agencies such as the Department of Veteran Affairs (74% oppose), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (67%), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (63%),Food and Drug Administration (63%) and National Institutes of Health (62%).
About half of the public say fraud, waste and abuse are major problems in Medicaid (52%), Social Security (51%) and Medicare (50%). A slightly larger majority say they are major problems in private health insurance (57%).

Instant Insights /

ACA subsidies, agency staffing cuts draw strong opposition, study finds

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