From private health insurance plans to government-sponsored programs, there are a lot of changes underway in the country's health care system. Research shows that Americans are feeling optimistic about the future state of health care in the country.

A recent Gallup poll reveals that 40 percent of those surveyed indicated that they had "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in the country's medical system. The current optimism levels are hovering around where they were between 1995 and 2006, according to Gallup. During 2003 and 2004, confidence levels grew to 44 percent.

The poll also found that confidence levels in health maintenance organizations remains essentially the same last year, increasing slightly by one point to 19 percent.

Such findings are good news, given the government's efforts to overhaul the healthcare system. Many new provisions under the Affordable Care Act have already been implemented. A number of other provisions are set to take effect in the future, including the requirement that everyone have health insurance in 2014.

Additionally, the poll reveals that Americans are more optimistic about the healthcare system than they are about 11 other institutions, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

Under healthcare reform, companies can earn "grandfathered" status, which allows them to keep many of their health care coverage provisions and lightens the amount of changes needed to be in compliance with the law.

However, 90 percent of companies say they believe they will lose their grandfathered status, according to a study by Hewitt Associates. A company can lose the status for several reasons, including raising deductibles or changing insurance companies.

"Employers reviewing their existing health care strategies in light of reform are focused on answering two questions: What changes do I need or want to make to my health care plans? And how can I make them without significantly increasing costs?” said Hewitt's Health Management practice leader Ken Sperling.

Over 70 percent of companies surveyed said that they think they will lose grandfathered status because of plan design changes and almost 40 percent cited subsidy level changes as a reason for losing the status.

Kiplinger reports that a large number of companies will push the additional healthcare cost burden on their employees by raising premiums and co-payments.