Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Health law sign-ups lagging
Saturday deadline looming for Affordable Care Act enrollment
Fewer people are signing up for the Affordable Care Act, even though premiums are stable.
WASHINGTON >> With just days left to enroll, fewer people are signing up for the Affordable Care Act, even though premiums are stable, more plans are available and millions of uninsured people can still get financial help.
Barring an enrollment surge, the nation’s uninsured rate could edge up again after a yearslong coverage expansion that has seen about 20 million people obtain health insurance.
A status report Wednesday from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services showed nearly 20 percent fewer new people signed up than at about the same time last year. New sign-ups drive the growth of the HealthCare.gov marketplaces, helping keep premiums in check.
The sign-up deadline in most states is this Saturday, for coverage beginning Jan. 1. A few states that run their own health care websites have later deadlines.
Trying to encourage enrollment, former President Barack Obama posted a whimsical video on social media Monday encouraging young adults to sign up for his signature program. That same day, a crush of people tried to enroll in what was the highest traffic this open enrollment season.
Disappointing sign-ups will add to the long-running political blame game over health care. Democrats accuse the Trump administration of “sabotage” on the
health law. Republicans counter that pricey Obamalaw premiums are too high
for solid middle-class people who don’t qualify for taxpayer-financed subsidies.
The Trump administration said in a statement this week “our primary goal is to provide a seamless open
enrollment experience for HealthCare.gov consumers and ensure that those who want coverage offered through the (program) can enroll in a plan.” Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar also posted his
own straightforward video pitch on Twitter.
The new numbers suggest there may be less demand for government-subsidized insurance during a time of strong economic growth. But interviews
with current and former officials, consumer organizations and independent experts also revealed several factors that appear to be cutting into enrollment.
The Trump administration didn’t set sign-up
targets for the health overhaul, according to a report this summer from the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office. Such targets are a standard management tool for government agencies.
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