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| More than 7 million Americans have enrolled under Affordable Care Act, White House says | More than 7 million Americans have enrolled under Affordable Care Act, White House says |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The White House announced Tuesday that more than 7 million Americans have signed up for health plans under the Affordable Care Act, marking a sharp turnaround for a federal campaign to sell the nation on new health insurance from disastrous beginnings six months ago. | The White House announced Tuesday that more than 7 million Americans have signed up for health plans under the Affordable Care Act, marking a sharp turnaround for a federal campaign to sell the nation on new health insurance from disastrous beginnings six months ago. |
| The tally — 7.04 million — is based on the number of people who enrolled for coverage through the new federal insurance marketplace operating in three dozen states by the deadline of midnight on Monday, plus the enrollments from 14 state-run marketplaces as of March 30. | The tally — 7.04 million — is based on the number of people who enrolled for coverage through the new federal insurance marketplace operating in three dozen states by the deadline of midnight on Monday, plus the enrollments from 14 state-run marketplaces as of March 30. |
| Taken together, the enrollment reflects a late rush of consumers seeking coverage as the March 31 deadline approached. They lifted the enrollment beyond the level that federal officials have believed likely in recent months. | Taken together, the enrollment reflects a late rush of consumers seeking coverage as the March 31 deadline approached. They lifted the enrollment beyond the level that federal officials have believed likely in recent months. |
| “As of midnight last night, I think it would be safe to say we surpassed everyone’s expectations, at least everyone’s in this room,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said. | “As of midnight last night, I think it would be safe to say we surpassed everyone’s expectations, at least everyone’s in this room,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said. |
| He said that high enrollment was due, in part, to the intensive public campaign by the Obama administration and its allies to persuade the public to sign up. But, Carney added, “most of all it’s the fact that the American people, despite the negative advertising, despite the obstacles we put in their way with the crummy rollout, made it clear that they wanted this product.” | He said that high enrollment was due, in part, to the intensive public campaign by the Obama administration and its allies to persuade the public to sign up. But, Carney added, “most of all it’s the fact that the American people, despite the negative advertising, despite the obstacles we put in their way with the crummy rollout, made it clear that they wanted this product.” |
| Congressional budget analysts had long forecast that 7 million people would get coverage this year through new federal and state insurance marketplaces created by the 2010 health-care law during a sign-up period from Oct. 1 to March 31. And the Obama administration embraced that estimate. | Congressional budget analysts had long forecast that 7 million people would get coverage this year through new federal and state insurance marketplaces created by the 2010 health-care law during a sign-up period from Oct. 1 to March 31. And the Obama administration embraced that estimate. |
| But the budget analysts’ forecast was downgraded to 6 million in February, taking into account massive computer problems during much of the fall with HealthCare.gov, the online federal marketplace, that frustrated many consumers who tried to shop for and buy health plans. | But the budget analysts’ forecast was downgraded to 6 million in February, taking into account massive computer problems during much of the fall with HealthCare.gov, the online federal marketplace, that frustrated many consumers who tried to shop for and buy health plans. |
| “We all know about the early setbacks with the rollout of Obamacare, but here it is today,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said at the start of his weekly briefing with reporters. “People are hungry for the benefits of this law.” | |
| He later added: “The Affordable Care Act, whether my Republican friends want to admit it or not, is working.” | |
| When asked about the various hang-ups with the rollout of the ACA enrollment systems, Reid acknowledged that the law continues to have some problems. But, he said, Democrats are working to correct the problems, while Republicans are still seeking to scrap the law altogether. | |
| “I’m willing to work with anyone who wants to fix the health-care law, but I can’t work with a Koch-driven party,” Reid said. “They need to get real. If they want to work with us, we’re happy to work with them.” | |
| Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was decidedly less upbeat about the new Obamacare enrollment numbers. | |
| “We don’t know of course, exactly what they have signed up for, we don’t know how many have paid. What we do know is that all across the country our constituents are having an unpleasant interaction with Obamacare,” McConnell said in a statement. “Whether they can sign up for a policy or not, they are discovering, of course, higher premiums, a higher deductible. Many of them are losing their jobs and so it is really a catastrophe for the country both for the healthcare providers and the consumers.” | |
| The unexpectedly large number of enrollees, rushed out hours after the close of the six-month enrollment window for coverage in 2014, means that the marketplaces proved more popular in their final days than anyone expected. | The unexpectedly large number of enrollees, rushed out hours after the close of the six-month enrollment window for coverage in 2014, means that the marketplaces proved more popular in their final days than anyone expected. |
| The extent of the new insurance’s popularity carries significant political implications for a law that has been a source of deep partisan division ever since it was enacted four years ago. The Obama administration and other Democrats have predicted that the American public would be attracted to health plans — and the law that created them — once they actually were given an opportunity to gain the insurance. Republicans have predicted that the law is fatally flawed and would be spurned. | The extent of the new insurance’s popularity carries significant political implications for a law that has been a source of deep partisan division ever since it was enacted four years ago. The Obama administration and other Democrats have predicted that the American public would be attracted to health plans — and the law that created them — once they actually were given an opportunity to gain the insurance. Republicans have predicted that the law is fatally flawed and would be spurned. |
| Wesley Lowery contributed to this story. | |
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