New Democracy Corps Battleground Poll of Swing Districts Finds Strong, Bi-Partisan...

New Democracy Corps Battleground Poll of Swing Districts Finds Strong,
Bi-Partisan Opposition to Cutting Medicare-Funded Nursing Home Care

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A Democracy Corps Battleground
Poll of likely voters in swing congressional districts conducted in
mid-December when Congress was in its final FY 2008 budget deliberations, and
released today, found strong, bipartisan opposition to cutting Medicare-funded
nursing home care, with 57% of Democrats and 56% of Republicans opposing any
prospective congressional effort to do so. The poll also found 53% of
Democrats and 49% of Republicans would be more likely to vote against their
own member of Congress if he or she voted to cut this Medicare funding.

The Democracy Corps Battleground Poll of 1,527 likely voters residing in swing
districts across the U.S. conducted 12/10-13 by Greenberg, Quinlan, Rosner
Research.

"This poll is significant in that it demonstrates the breadth of bipartisan
opposition across the nation to cutting the Medicare-financed nursing home
care our most vulnerable seniors depend upon for their quality of care and
quality of life," stated Alan G. Rosenbloom, President and CEO of the Alliance
for Quality Nursing Home Care. "Stable Medicare funding is integral to
ensuring nursing home quality improvement efforts are sustained for the
benefit of retirees today and the growing number of Americans who will require
long term care in the years and decades ahead."

The specific questions and results are as follows:

As you may know, Congress is considering legislation that would cut billions
of dollars in Medicare funding for nursing home care over the next 5 years.
Do you favor or oppose this legislation?

Dem Rep
Favor STRONGLY 12 10
Favor NOT SO STRONGLY 7 7
Undecided, leans favor 1 1
Undecided 2 2
Undecided, leans oppose 1 1
Oppose NOT SO STRONGLY 13 14
Oppose STRONGLY 57 56
(Don't know/Refused) 7 8

If your Member of Congress voted to cut Medicare funding for nursing homes,
would you be more likely to vote for or against your Member of Congress?

Dem Rep
For, STRONGLY 9 9
For, NOT SO STRONGLY 9 10
Against, NOT SO STRONGLY 17 19
Against, STRONGLY 53 49
(Don't know/Refused) 11 13
Total For 19 19
Total Against 71 68

SOURCE The Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care

Debra DeShong Reed, +1-202-528-4214 or Amy Weiss, +1-202-203-0448, both of The
Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care