Louisiana’s economy works best when everyone, regardless of income, has access to affordable health care, and the ability to put food on the table every day.
A new poll shows that Louisianans overwhelmingly agree with this sentiment. Almost 8 in 10 Louisianans support the Medicaid program, while 74% support the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The survey of 800 likely voters, conducted by Global Strategy Group, found that a strong majority want Louisiana to protect the programs instead of using state resources to pay for tax cuts.
The poll comes as Medicaid and SNAP face unprecedented threats due to federal and state policy changes. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act cuts Medicaid by nearly a trillion dollars over the next decade, reduces SNAP by $187 billion and pushes some of the cost of those programs from the federal government onto the state.
“Medicaid and SNAP are vital programs that ensure Louisianans can see a doctor when they get sick and stretch their monthly food budgets,” said Invest in Louisiana CEO Jan Moller. “They help support people and communities but also make sure rural hospitals and pharmacies can keep their doors open and that neighborhood groceries can serve all their customers.”
The poll found half of Louisiana voters think Medicaid is already underfunded and 7 in 10 agree that Louisiana should increase state funding for the health care program. Sixty-eight percent of voters want Louisiana to increase state funding for food assistance.
“This poll should serve as a wake-up call to state policymakers that Louisianans across the political spectrum support and prioritize these programs,” Moller said.
In 2024, Gov. Jeff Landry and state lawmakers slashed income taxes on individuals and large corporations, and are pushing for additional income-tax cuts next year. But the poll shows 61% of voters prioritize using state funds to protect Medicaid and food assistance benefits over reducing the income tax.
Recent state tax cuts, combined with new costs from OBBBA will help create state budget shortfalls starting next year.
“The economic effects of a budget crisis combined with cuts to Medicaid and SNAP will destabilize entire communities: hospitals will face higher unpaid bills, local businesses will lose customers, and social services will become strained,” Moller said. “Instead of giving even more tax breaks to big corporations and the wealthy, Louisiana should protect Medicaid and SNAP for working families and seniors.”
Voters also said that it is important for Louisiana to have state programs that help at-risk youth continue education and secure jobs (88%), the state relies too heavily on sales taxes to fund important priorities (79%) and Louisiana politicians have already given too many tax breaks to big corporations and the wealthy (74%).