Gallup interviewed over 43,000 American adults and found one who had purchased a Heathcare.gov plan. OK, it’s not that bad, but still:
he numbers, released a week after the close of the health law’s first enrollment season, also suggest a far more modest impact on coverage than statistics cited by the Obama administration.
The administration says 7.1 million have signed up for subsidized private plans through new insurance markets, while 3 million previously uninsured people gained coverage through the law’s Medicaid expansion.
Why the huge difference? For starters, the administration’s numbers include people who switched or were dropped from their previous coverage, as well as people who have not paid their first month’s premium, and who would therefore still be uninsured.
The administration is also counting sign-ups dating back to October, though enrollment in the first few months was relatively low.
According to Gallup, the number of uninsured has fallen by a greater amount since the start of open enrollment on Oct. 1. Gallup shows the percentage spiked to 18 percent at the end of the third quarter. But the spike could be attributed in part to people being kicked off their prior coverage, due to changes in the health care law.
It’s a goat rodeo — with human lives at stake.
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