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'This thing is working': 8 million are now insured through the exchanges

Thu Apr 17, 2014 at 01:50 PM PDT
by Laura Clawson



A few weeks ago, 7 million sign-ups for Obamacare's insurance exchanges was rightly celebrated as a victory. Now, though, we've blown past that: President Barack Obama announced Thursday afternoon that 8 million people have gotten health coverage through the exchanges, in addition to the millions more who have benefited from expanded Medicaid or been able to stay on their parents' insurance.
In all, according to a White House fact sheet:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/04/17/fact-sheet-affordable-care-act-numbers

8 million people signed up for private insurance in the Health Insurance Marketplace. For states that have Federally-Facilitated Marketplaces, 35 percent of those who signed up are under 35 years old and 28 percent are between 18 and 34 years old, virtually the same youth percentage that signed up in Massachusetts in their first year of health reform.

3 million young adults gained coverage thanks to the Affordable Care Act by being able to stay on their parents plan.

3 million more people were enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP as of February, compared to before the Marketplaces opened. Medicaid and CHIP enrollment continues year-round.

5 million people are enrolled in plans that meet ACA standards outside the Marketplace, according to a CBO estimate. When insurers set premiums for next year, they are required to look at everyone who enrolled in plans that meet ACA standards, both on and off the Marketplace.

5.7 million people will be uninsured in 2016 because 24 States have not expanded Medicaid.

As that last number reminds us, the fight isn't over. Millions more could and should be covered by the law, if Republican governors and state legislators weren't blocking Medicaid expansion. It is, as Obama forcefully pointed out during the press conference, being blocked "for no other reason than political spite," and "that's wrong. It should stop. Those folks should be able to get health insurance like everybody else."

While Republicans continue to fight to kick millions and millions of people off their health insurance, Democrats have to be fighting to expand Medicaid and insure 5.7 million more.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/17/1292791/--This-thing-is-working-8-million-are-now-insured-through-the-exchanges