Californians favor health law's exchanges, poll says

Many Californians are optimistic about one aspect of the new federal healthcare law—the online exchange where residents can shop for coverage, according to a Field Poll released Monday. The survey, taken July 12-29 and funded by the California Wellness Foundation, is Field's sixth annual look at public opinion on healthcare issues. Support for the law (54 percent) continues to be strong in the state. Those who "strongly support" the national law spiked to 38 percent (up seven percentage points from 2011) after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June backed key provisions of the law, Field found. More importantly, the poll offered a look ahead at what voters hope the new law will do when fully implemented in the next couple of years.