SACRAMENTO, the United States, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Most U.S. citizens opposed the sweeping cuts to federal health agencies implemented during President Donald Trump's first 100 days in office, according to a new KFF Health Tracking Poll released Thursday.
KFF, formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation, is a nonprofit organization focused on health policy research, polling and journalism in the United States.
The survey found that 61 percent of Americans opposed significant cuts to staff and spending at federal health agencies, with 54 percent saying recent actions by the administration and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency had gone "too far."
"The administration is recklessly making broad cuts to programs and staff, including some that are necessary for agencies to function," said 59 percent of respondents in the April 8-15 poll of 1,380 U.S. adults.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) lost at least 20,000 jobs since Robert F. Kennedy Jr. assumed leadership as secretary, according to HHS press releases published by the end of March. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced plans in March to cut 83,000 positions.
Public concern centers on potential negative consequences, with majorities fearing harmful impacts on veterans' healthcare (62 percent), medical research (60 percent), infectious disease control (55 percent) and food safety (53 percent).
Sharp partisan divide emerged in the survey, with 89 percent of Democrats opposing cuts compared to just 27 percent of Republicans. However, significant bipartisan agreement existed against cutting specific programs.
"More than nine in ten Democrats, eight in ten independents, and more than half of Republicans oppose federal funding cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security," the KFF report said. Majorities across party lines also opposed cuts to mental health services, infectious disease tracking and university medical research.
Support for cuts came primarily from MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement supporters. This group strongly favored most cuts, except to Veterans Affairs.
The survey revealed disagreement about who should bear responsibility for healthcare system inefficiencies. Half of Democrats blamed private insurance companies, while 42 percent of Republicans pointed to government employees running the programs.
"There is partisan agreement when it comes to funding cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security," the report said, indicating limits to public tolerance for health service reductions regardless of political affiliation. ■