Health care market adds 1.9 million

In this Nov. 17, 2014 file photo, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell speaks at Florida International University College of Law in Miami. Burwell says health law sign-ups are off to an encouraging start, but a lot of work is still needed to make the second open enrollment season a success.
In this Nov. 17, 2014 file photo, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell speaks at Florida International University College of Law in Miami. Burwell says health law sign-ups are off to an encouraging start, but a lot of work is still needed to make the second open enrollment season a success.

WASHINGTON -- The second sign-up season under President Barack Obama's health care law is off to a good start, but there is a way to go to make it a success, administration officials said Tuesday.

Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell said 1.9 million new customers had picked a plan as of Friday through the federal insurance market that serves 37 states. Another 4.5 million renewed existing coverage, with most automatically re-enrolled.

The numbers don't include states running their own insurance exchanges, including California and New York. The administration will release a full 50-state report next week, Burwell said.

"We still have a lot of work to do," she said. "But this is an encouraging start."

At her year-end news conference, Burwell was asked about a Supreme Court case seen as the most serious threat to Obama's law. The case, King v. Burwell, will be argued in early March.

The health care law provides taxpayer-subsidized private insurance to people who don't have access to coverage through their jobs. Plaintiffs in the Supreme Court case argue that the law, as written, allows only subsidies in states that have established their own insurance markets.

The Obama administration and other supporters of the law have said Congress clearly intended to subsidize coverage in all 50 states.

Burwell wouldn't outline any contingency plans in the event the court rules against the administration.

"We believe that our position is the position that is correct and accurate," she said.

More than eight in 10 customers in the insurance markets receive subsidies. Without them, millions would be unable to afford their premiums. If the court's ruling goes against the administration, it's unclear whether there would be a grace period while officials pursue a legislative fix or other solutions.

With the healthcare.gov website running much better this year, Burwell has set a target of 9.1 million customers signed up and paying premiums in 2015.

Independent analysts believe the administration can meet or surpass that goal through a combination of returning customers and people signing up for the first time. The law prohibits insurers from turning people down because of health reasons. Virtually all Americans must have coverage or face fines.

A Section on 12/24/2014

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