2. The Feldman Group, Inc. – July 2007
Slide 2
Methodology
Survey of Seniors: A survey of likely 2008 voters age 65
and over. Survey conducted July 26th – July 30th.
Sample Size: 603
Margin of Error: ±4.0%
3. The Feldman Group, Inc. – July 2007
Slide 3
Outline
POLITICAL CONTEXT
MEDICARE ADVANTAGE
CIGARETTE TAX
4. The Feldman Group, Inc. – July 2007
Slide 4
Outline
POLITICAL CONTEXT
MEDICARE ADVANTAGE
CIGARETTE TAX
5. The Feldman Group, Inc. – July 2007
Slide 5
Medicare remains the third rail of politics.
Strongly Moderately
Question:
One proposal currently in front of
Congress would cut funding to
Favor 9 Medicare to pay for the increase in
funding for children’s health
insurance.
Do you favor or oppose cutting
Medicare to fund children’s health
insurance?
Do you feel that way strongly or
Oppose 61 16 77 moderately?
0 20 40 60 80
6. The Feldman Group, Inc. – July 2007
Slide 6
Nearly two-thirds of all seniors would be less likely to
vote for their congressman if he or she voted to cut
funding for Medicare.
Much Somewhat
Question:
More If your congressman voted to cut
Likely 8 funding to Medicare to pay for fifty
billion dollars in funding for
children’s health insurance, would
you be more or less likely to vote
for him or her in 2008?
No Diff 5
Is that much (MORE/LESS) likely
or somewhat (MORE/LESS)
likely?
Less
Likely
47 16 63
0 20 40 60
7. The Feldman Group, Inc. – July 2007
Slide 7
Outline
POLITICAL CONTEXT
MEDICARE ADVANTAGE
CIGARETTE TAX
8. The Feldman Group, Inc. – July 2007
Slide 8
Only 40 percent of seniors have heard of Medicare
Advantage, while 53 percent have not heard of the
program.
Heard of Medicare
Advantage 40
Have not heard of
Medicare Advantage
7
Unsure/refuse 53
9. The Feldman Group, Inc. – July 2007
Slide 9
Seniors heard a balanced description of
Medicare Advantage.
Question:
The part of Medicare that some people have proposed cutting is Medicare
Advantage, a part of Medicare that is administered by private health insurance
companies.
Medicare Advantage plans often have lower out-of-pocket costs for seniors.
Medicare Advantage plans cover more services than traditional Medicare, often
including vision, dental, and hearing benefits, as well as prescription drug coverage
and better preventative care.
Medicare Advantage costs the federal government 12 percent more than traditional
Medicare, meaning all of the other Medicare recipients pay about $2 more per
month to cover these costs. Medicare Advantage is administered by private health
insurance companies, leading to bigger profits for health insurance companies.
Do you favor or oppose cutting Medicare Advantage to fund children’s health
insurance programs?
10. The Feldman Group, Inc. – July 2007
Slide 10
After hearing a balanced description, seniors opposed cutting
Medicare Advantage to fund children’s health insurance.
Strongly Moderately
Medicare Advantage Enrollees Non MA Enrollees
Favor 4 10 14 13 16 29
Oppose 49 12 61 28 12 40
0 20 40 60 80 0 20 40 60 80
11. The Feldman Group, Inc. – July 2007
Slide 11
After hearing a balanced description of Medicare Advantage, seniors say
they would be less likely to support a member of Congress who voted to
cut Medicare Advantage in order to fund children’s health insurance.
Much Somewhat
Medicare Advantage Enrollees Non MA Enrollees
More
Likely
8 12 20 12 14 26
No Diff 5 8
Less
39 18 57 24 14 38
Likely
0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60
12. The Feldman Group, Inc. – July 2007
Slide 12
Subgroups
• Union Members:
– Twenty-nine (29) percent of seniors identify as either current
or former union members.
• AARP Members:
– Fifty-seven (57) percent of seniors say they are members of
AARP.
• Low Income Voters:
– Twenty-seven (27) percent of seniors say their household
income is less than $25,000 per year.
13. The Feldman Group, Inc. – July 2007
After hearing a balanced description of Medicare Advantage, union Slide 13
members say they would be less likely to support a member of Congress
who voted to cut Medicare Advantage in order to fund children’s health
insurance.
All Seniors Union Members
More
Likely
11 13 24 12 11 23
No Diff 8 7
Less
27 15 42 29 15 44
Likely
0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60
14. The Feldman Group, Inc. – July 2007
After hearing a balanced description of Medicare Advantage, AARP Slide 14
members say they would be less likely to support a member of Congress
who voted to cut Medicare Advantage in order to fund children’s health
insurance.
All Seniors AARP Members
More
Likely
11 13 24 9 15 24
No Diff 8 8
Less
27 15 42 28 16 44
Likely
0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60
15. The Feldman Group, Inc. – July 2007
Slide 15
After hearing a balanced description of Medicare Advantage, low income
seniors say they would be less likely to support a member of Congress who
voted to cut Medicare Advantage in order to fund children’s health
insurance.
All Seniors Income of Less than $25,000
More
11 13 24 13 13 26
Likely
No Diff 8 2
Less
27 15 42 29 13 42
Likely
0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60
16. The Feldman Group, Inc. – July 2007
Slide 16
Outline
POLITICAL CONTEXT
MEDICARE ADVANTAGE
CIGARETTE TAX
17. The Feldman Group, Inc. – July 2007
Slide 17
Over three-quarters of all seniors favor increasing the
cigarette tax to fund children’s health insurance.
Strongly Moderately
Question:
Another proposal currently in front
Favor of Congress would raise the tax on
66 10 76 cigarettes to pay for the increase in
funding for children’s health
insurance.
Do you favor or oppose raising the
tax on cigarettes to fund children’s
health insurance programs?
Do you feel that way strongly or
Oppose 16 3 19 moderately?
0 20 40 60 80
18. The Feldman Group, Inc. – July 2007
Slide 18
In order to fund SCHIP, nearly three-quarters of seniors would
prefer raising the cigarette tax instead of cutting Medicare
Advantage.
Strongly Moderately
Question:
Increase In order to fund children’s health
Cig Tax
63 11 74 insurance programs, would you
rather your congressman voted
to: (ROTATE)
Increase the cigarette tax by
Neither 12 sixty-one cents to one dollar per
pack
OR
Cut funding to Medicare
Cut Advantage?
Med Adv 5
Do you feel that way strongly or
moderately?
0 20 40 60 80
19. Roy Temple
Principal
The Feldman Group, Inc.
Roy@thefeldmangroup.com
202-547-3000
July, 2007
