A majority of older, politically independent people who harbored concerns about health care reform said they were more inclined to support it after watching President Barack Obama’s speech Wednesday night, according to an AARP poll of the 45-plus population released on Thursday.

Nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of independents age 45 and older said some of their concerns were addressed by Obama’s speech. As a result, 63 percent said they were “more supportive” of health reform proposals.

“What we saw in this survey was something we’ve seen for decades: that once you explain why we need reform, people understand its importance,” says Nancy LeaMond, an AARP executive vice president. “Older Americans across the political spectrum continue to agree that reform must be accomplished this year. We are hopeful that momentum carries us to reform that AARP can support.”

The president said he hoped his speech would clarify misrepresentations of his reform plans, quell skepticism and generate new support for overhauling the health care system. In media interviews Thursday, Vice President Joe Biden said he expects health care reform legislation to be finished by late November.

Most of those polled—70 percent of those who listed their political affiliation as independent, 95 percent of Democrats and 56 percent of Republicans—agreed that lawmakers should make health care reform a priority.

The poll of 522 people, which has a margin of error of 4.3 percentage points, was conducted after the president’s prime-time speech.

Carole Fleck is a senior editor at the AARP Bulletin.