Poll: Majority expect Medicare crisis

According to a new USA Today/Gallup poll, 67 percent of Americans believe Social Security and Medicare costs are already creating a fiscal crisis for the federal government (34 percent) or will do so within the next 10 years (33 percent). Results come from an April poll which asked people what they see as the major cause of the deficit and what means they favor for solving the problem.

Republicans were significantly more likely than Democrats to believe that the program is now creating or will create in the next decade a crisis, with 76 to 54 percent respectively. The views of independent voters align more closely with those of Republicans. Seniors are the least likely group to see a present or looming crisis in spending on Social Security and Medicare at just 57 percent.