Health reform law now viewed more positively

The Kaiser Family Foundation's June tracking poll found that 48 percent of Americans surveyed had a somewhat favorable or very favorable opinion of the health reform bill passed in March. That was an increase from the previous month when 41 percent of those surveyed said they viewed the law favorably.

Forty-one percent said they held a very unfavorable or somewhat unfavorable view of the act passed with no Republican support in congress and signed into law by President Obama. And 27 percent supported a repeal of the law, formally known as "the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act."

The favorable/unfavorable numbers fell within the poll's 4 percent margin of error, meaning Americans were essentially evenly divided in its opinion of the law. The poll was conducted with phone interviews of 1,207 adults between June 17 and June 22.

The Kaiser poll also found the public evenly divided on how the health law would impact their vote in congressional elections this November. Roughly one third (35 percent) said they would be more likely to support a candidate who voted for passage of the health law, 32 percent said they were more likely to vote against such a candidate, and 31 percent said it would not impact their vote.

Despite such divisions (largely along partisan lines), broad majorities continued to support individual elements of the law, such as tax credits for small businesses (89 percent support among Democrats, and 79 percent for both independents and Republicans) and the creation of health insurance exchanges (supported by 94 percent of Democrats, 88 percent of independents, and 77 percent of Republicans).

Health care was the third most important issue to registered voters behind the economy and dissatisfaction with government. The poll results are available here.

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