Health care a top ballot box concern for older Ohioans

DAYTON, Ohio -- The majority of Ohioans over the age of 50 say concerns about health care will affect their vote this fall.

About 81 percent said health care is a "very important" issue when it comes to their vote for congressional candidates this fall. About 80 percent said Social Security is a very important issue and 76 percent said Medicare is, according to a new poll by AARP and Politico.

The poll also found

-- 74 percent of 50-plus voters support (42 percent "strongly support" and 32 percent "somewhat support") preserving Ohio's Medicaid expansion which extended Medicaid eligibility for low-income residents under the Affordable Care Act;

-- 91 percent of 50-plus voters are concerned (55 percent "very concerned" or 36 percent "somewhat concerned") about their utility bills increasing;

-- 69 percent of 50-plus voters support creating an Ohio retirement savings plan;

-- 74 percent of 50-plus voters say opioid addiction is "a very serious problem" in the state right now, and 61 percent say the government is not doing enough to address it;

-- 70 percent of 50-plus voters "strongly agree" that jobs and the economy are major issues this election season. Only 23 percent feel "well-prepared" to get and keep a job;

-- 46 percent of 50-plus voters think government is unprepared to prevent a cyberattack on public infrastructure.

Story Filed By Cox Newspapers

For Use By Clients of the New York Times News Service