Is Obamacare hugely unpopular? Not anymore

Remember when a clear majority of Americans disapproved of Obamacare? In July 2014, the percent disapproving in the Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll reached 53% and the percent approving stood at just 37%.

What a difference a few months can make. Those numbers have changed dramatically.

The latest Kaiser poll put the approval and disapproval percentages at close to even. Last month, 43% disapproved and 41% approved.

Partisan differences in views of the law remain large with Democrats heavily in favor and Republicans heavily opposed. However, the gap between approval and disapproval for the overall population has almost disappeared.

Another indication of increasing support for the law is seen in attitudes about the latest Supreme Court case challenging it, King v. Burwell. A sizeable majority, 60%, thinks that a ruling for the challengers that limits the law's subsidies in states using the federal insurance exchange would have a negative impact for the country. In states that use the federal exchange and stand to be directly affected by such a ruling, 69% want their state to create its own exchange if the challengers prevail so that subsidies can continue.

Those findings suggest substantial support for the subsidies, which are one of Obamacare's key components.

The change in attitudes may reflect recent favorable news about the law's impact. The percentage of Americans without health insurance has been falling and is now at the lowest level ever recorded on some surveys. That means that for all its bumps and glitches, Obamacare seems to be having its intended effect.

Obamacare's approval will undoubtedly continue to fluctuate over time. More stumbles like the computer malfunctions that plagued the initial rollout of the exchanges could send the negative percentages back into higher ground.

But if the law continues to fulfill its basic promise of fewer uninsured Americans, even with a reduction that is fairly modest, it may start to enjoy an increasingly favorable reception.

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