More than 8 in 10 American voters believe the government has a role in helping cover caregiving costs for people with disabilities, but nearly 80% have never heard of ABLE Accounts—a savings tool designed to help them build financial security without losing benefits. Those findings come from a new poll commissioned by Able Americans through the Echelon Insights Likely Voter Omnibus Survey, released June 3, 2026. The survey reveals unexpected common ground across party lines on disability policy, even as it exposes a major knowledge gap about existing financial tools.
The poll found that strong majorities in both parties back government assistance for disability caregiving costs—only 5% of all voters believe the government should not cover any caregiving costs at all. Two-thirds of voters (66%) think financial eligibility rules for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid should be updated to let Americans with disabilities save more money without losing benefits, with nearly three-quarters of Democrats and more than half of Republicans supporting reform. A majority (58%) believe more should be done to remove employment barriers facing Americans with disabilities who want to work and are able to do so, though Democrats express stronger support than Republicans. Nearly two-thirds of voters see either "a great deal" or "a fair amount" of fraud in government healthcare programs like Medicaid, though perceptions vary significantly by political affiliation. The most striking gap: nearly 8 in 10 voters have never heard of ABLE Accounts, including the same percentage of voters with disabilities themselves, and only 4% say they know enough about the accounts to explain how they work.
According to the report, "disability issues rarely command sustained attention in Washington," but the poll was designed to better understand public attitudes toward disability policy across several key areas including caregiving, government benefit rules, employment barriers, Medicaid fraud, and ABLE Accounts. The survey results suggest that "disability policy may be one of the few areas where consensus is possible," with voters broadly supporting caregiving assistance and favoring updated benefit rules. Able Americans notes that while opinions differ on how much support should be provided and under what circumstances, the overall direction of public opinion is clear.
The findings point to a disconnect between what tools exist and what voters know about them. ABLE Accounts allow eligible individuals with disabilities to save and invest without jeopardizing certain benefits—yet awareness sits near zero even among those the program is designed to help. The report explains that this knowledge gap is "perhaps the most striking finding" and underscores the need to raise awareness of existing financial tools. At the same time, broad bipartisan support for updating SSI and Medicaid eligibility rules suggests voters recognize that current benefit structures may trap people with disabilities in poverty by limiting how much they can save. The employment finding reinforces this: a majority want more done to help people with disabilities who are able and willing to work actually enter the workforce, though the survey notes Democrats show stronger backing for additional action than Republicans.
Able Americans says the findings underscore the need to raise awareness of tools like ABLE Accounts and to advance policies that promote financial security, independence, and opportunity for Americans with disabilities—and the organization "remains committed to both objectives." The rare cross-party agreement on core disability issues suggests policymakers have an opening to act on caregiving support, benefit modernization, and employment barriers without the usual partisan gridlock. But turning that consensus into change will require closing the awareness gap first—you can't use a tool you've never heard of.