Our Health Policy Matters

Obamacare will insure 2 million fewer people in 2014 than previously reported.  That number is in a new report just released by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). That may come as a surprise to you.  But it isn’t the biggest surprise in the report for me.  I’ll explain why later.  First, let’s review the new numbers. Last May, the CBO estimated that seven million people would sign up for insurance through exchanges this year.  That number is not a surprise – it has been reported widely in the media. It also estimated that nine million previously uninsured people would be enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP.  In other words, a total of 16 million people would obtain coverage this year through Obamacare. But last week, CBO released updated estimates .  It now says that only 6 million will sign up through the exchanges this year, and only 8 million will enroll in Medicaid or CHIP.  Because some of the people who would have si...

Obamacare will insure 2 million fewer people in 2014 than previously reported.  That number is in a new report just released by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). That may come as a surprise to you.  But it isn’t the biggest surprise in the report for me.  I’ll explain why later.  First, let’s review the new numbers. Last May, the CBO estimated that seven million people would sign up for insurance through exchanges this year.  That number is not a surprise – it has been reported widely in the media. It also estimated that nine million previously uninsured people would be enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP.  In other words, a total of 16 million people would obtain coverage this year through Obamacare. But last week, CBO released updated estimates .  It now says that only 6 million will sign up through the exchanges this year, and only 8 million will enroll in Medicaid or CHIP.  Because some of the people who would have si...