MEDICARE DOCTOR-PATIENT SURVEY TENNESSEE Survey Summary

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1 MEDICARE DOCTOR-PATIENT SURVEY TENNESSEE Survey Summary More than 10 years ago, Congress created a flawed system to pay doctors who treat Medicare patients. Because lawmakers have been unable to fix this system, Medicare can no longer pay doctors what it costs to care for seniors. Now, unless Congress acts by January 1st, Medicare doctors will face a 25% cut, which could mean many seniors will lose their doctors or have trouble finding a new one. Knowing how important doctors are to older Americans, AARP surveyed its members to determine whether they are concerned about losing their doctors if Congress fails to stop the cut. The survey also looked at whether AARP members would be more favorable to a member of Congress who votes to stop the cut. Finally, the survey measured whether AARP members think Congress should block the cut for a few months or whether they think they should find a long-term solution to the problem. Survey Findings The majority of Tennessee members across party lines (80%) said they were concerned that doctors may stop treating Medicare patients because of this cut (76%, 88 %, and 82% ). Eighty percent of members who are covered by Medicare were concerned about having to find a new doctor if their current physician no longer accepted Medicare (79%, 84%, and 84% ). AARP members support their Senators in fighting to stop this cut. Seventy-four percent of members across party lines said they would be more favorable to their Senators if they fought to protect Medicare payments to doctors (72%, 80 %, and 74% ). Likewise, 78% of members said they would be less favorable towards their Senator if they did nothing to stop this cut (78%, 82%, and 80% ). Most members (72%) feel a long-term solution to the problem is needed (77%, 72%, and 75% ). For media inquiries, please contact David Allen at (202) or dallen@aarp.org Methodology: 800 interviews of Tennessee AARP members age 60+ were conducted by Woelfel Research, an independent research firm, between November 22, 2010 and November 28, This survey has a margin of sampling error of +/- 3.5%.

2 ANNOTATED QUESTIONNAIRE (Note: s may not equal 100% due to rounding) 1. Which of the following best describes your primary form of health insurance coverage? You are covered by Medicare 74% You are covered through your employer 12% You are covered through your spouse s employer 5% You have coverage that you or your spouse buy directly 4% You are covered by Medicaid or some other government program that is not 1% Medicare You do not have coverage 1% Other 2% Don t know <1% Refused 0% Medicare is scheduled to cut the payments it makes to Medicare doctors by nearly 25 percent in January. That means that unless Congress stops the cut, the government will automatically decrease the amount that it pays doctors who treat Medicare patients by nearly 25 percent. 2. How concerned are you that doctors may stop treating Medicare patients because of this cut? Very concerned 60% 56% 68% 63% Somewhat concerned 20% 20% 20% 19% Not very concerned 9% 11% 5% 8% Not at all concerned 9% 12% 5% 10% Don t know 2% 1% 2% 2% Refused.1% 0% 0% 0% 3. If s fought to stop this cut and protected Medicare payments to doctors, would you be: Much more favorable towards 50% 50% 55% 48% Somewhat more favorable 24% 22% 25% 26% towards Somewhat less favorable towards 5% 5% 5% 5% Much less favorable towards 8% 11% 5% 9% Don t know 13% 13% 10% 11% Refused 1% 0% <1% 1% 2

3 4. If s did nothing to stop this cut and let Medicare cut payments to doctors by nearly 25 percent, would you be: Much more favorable towards 6% 8% 5% 4% Somewhat more favorable 6% 5% 7% 6% towards Somewhat less favorable towards 18% 17% 18% 19% Much less favorable towards 60% 61% 64% 61% Don t know 10% 9% 6% 10% Refused 1% <1% 1% 1% 5. If Congress fails to stop this cut and your doctor chooses to stop accepting Medicare patients, how concerned would you be about finding a new doctor? n=588 (Medicare beneficiaries) n=181 n=164 n=154 Very concerned 68% 67% 76% 69% Somewhat concerned 12% 12% 8% 15% Not very concerned 7% 7% 6% 6% Not at all concerned 9% 11% 5% 9% Don t know 3% 2% 5% 1% Refused 1% 1% 0% 0% This cut has been scheduled to happen many times before, but Congress has always voted to temporarily delay it. Now, some people have proposed that we delay the cut for three months and address the issue again while Congress deals with what some say are more immediate national priorities while others think a longer term solution is needed now. 6. Would you support postponing the cut for three months while Congress deals with other National priorities or urge Congress to find a longer-term solution now? Postpone the cut for three months 18% 15% 22% 16% Find a longer-term solution now 72% 77% 72% 75% Don t know 8% 7% 5% 8% Refused 2% 1% 1% 2% 3

4 7. What is your age as of your last birthday? % % % Refused 6% 8. What is your gender? Male 37% Female 63% 9. Regardless of how you are registered, do you consider yourself a: Strong 24% Weak 5% Weak 5% Strong 24% 27% Other 2% Refused 7% 10. What best describes your race? White or Caucasian 88% Black or African-American 7% Latino, Hispanic or Mexican -- Asian or Pacific Islander <1% Native American 1% Mixed Race 1% Other 0% Refused 3% 11. Do you consider yourself to be a Hispanic Descent? Yes 2% No 95% Don t know 1% Refused 2% 4

5 12. For statistical purposes only, we need to know your total family income for Will you please tell me which of the following categories best represents your total family income? Less than $15,000 10% $15, 000 to less than $30,000 15% $30,000 to less than $40,000 11% $40,000 to less than $50,000 9% $50,000 to less than $60,000 8% $60,000 to less than $75,000 5% $75,000 to less than $100,000 4% $100,000 to less than $150,000 4% $150,000 or more 2% Refused 34% 5