Health care enrollments fall far short of white house estimates

(HealthDay)—The Obama administration late Wednesday released a report revealing a disappointing number of health plan enrollments through the new federal and state insurance exchanges. Just over 106,000 Americans enrolled in health plans through the new marketplaces from Oct. 1 through Nov. 2, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said during a news conference.

That figure includes people who have not yet paid their health-plan premium and, of those, only 26,794 enrolled through the troubled federal health marketplace HealthCare.gov. Another 975,000 people have applied for coverage and received a determination of eligibility for coverage "and are currently still shopping for a plan," Sebelius said. In addition, more than 396,000 people have been deemed eligible for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program, the report indicated.

"In every part of our country, Americans are very interested in the affordable health coverage that's being offered through the marketplace and through Medicaid," Sebelius said. "And even with the issues we've had, the marketplace is working and people are enrolling."

Health-plan premiums for coverage that takes effect Jan. 1 are not due until Dec. 15. "By the 15th of December, we will be able to tell you how many people have paid for the first month of coverage," she said.

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