2017 AARP Alaska Health Care Survey: Little Support for the Proposed Health Care Bill

June 23, 2017

2017 AARP Alaska Health Care Survey : Little Support for the Proposed Health Care Bill

In a survey released in June 2017, 

just one-third of likely voters in Alaska (33%) support the American Health Care Act, which recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives and is currently being debated in the Senate. A sizeable number of likely voters (15%) say they do not know whether they support or oppose the bill.

A majority of likely voters also oppose the various policies included in the bill.

SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION FOR POLICIES IN THE AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT (AHCA)

• 89% of registered voters in Alaska oppose charging 50+ adults five time more for their healthcare plan while 7% support this.
• 80% of registered voters in Alaska oppose cutting funding for Medicaid that helps seniors live independently while 15% support this.
• 87% of registered voters in Alaska oppose cutting funding for Medicare and increasing premiums while 10% support this.
• 81% of registered voters in Alaska oppose providing tax breaks for insurance and drug companies while 11% support this

By party/registered voters: Percent opposed to the following:

• Charging adults age 50+ five times more than other people for the health care plan
  • Republicans: 81%
  • Democrats 96%
  • Independents 94%
• Cutting funding for Medicaid, which pays for services to help seniors live independently
  • Republicans: 71%
  • Democrats 93%
  • Independents 82%
•  Cutting funding for Medicare and increasing premiums for current and future seniors
  • Republicans: 78%
  • Democrats 94%
  • Independents 90%
• Providing tax breaks for insurance and drug companies
  • Republicans: 68%
  • Democrats 89%
  • Independents 88%

Additional findings:

Methodology: AARP commissioned a telephone survey among 602 likely voters age 50+ in Alaska to gauge public opinion on the proposed health care bill and the various policies included in the plan. The sample utilized an age-targeted registered voter landline and cell phone list. This report highlights results from residents interviewed from June 4 through June 19, 2017. The data was weighted by age, gender, race/ethnicity and geographic region and is generalizeable to registered voters in Alaska age 50+. The survey has a margin of sampling error of ±4 percent. The survey annotation will be made available at www.aarp.org/2017healthcaresurvey

AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With nearly 38 million members and offices in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AARP works to strengthen communities and advocate for what matters most to families with a focus on health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the world’s largest circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.

For media inquiries, please contact Ann Secrest at: 907.762.3302 or e-mail asecrest@aarp.org