KFF April Tracking Poll: Opinions of Reform Remain Steady

This month, public opinion on the health reform law continues to be remarkably steady. The April Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds that four in ten feel favorably about the law and an equal share say they feel unfavorably. In recent months there has been a slight decline in the share with an unfavorable view of the law, with a corresponding uptick in the share who offer no opinion on the law. The rise in those who say they don’t know how they feel about the law seems to have been driven by seniors; this month nearly a quarter (24 percent) of those ages 65 and older declined to give an opinion of the law. This may reflect confusion stemming from the recent deficit-reduction proposals and their potential impact on Medicare and the health reform law. In addition, the partisan divisions over that landmark legislation remain: 74 percent of Republicans oppose the law and 64 percent of Democrats favor it, with independents occupying the middle ground.

Along with attitudes about the ACA, the April poll examined the public’s views of deficit-reduction proposals impacting Medicare. For more on those results, see the full report and toplines.