Josh Green puts the latest Obamacare numbers in perspective:
[T]he Congressional Budget Office predicted that 3.3 million people would sign up for insurance through the exchanges by the end of last year. That obviously didn’t happen. But after essentially losing two month to technical problems, Obamacare appears to be gaining ground. It’s nearly reached that 3.3 million figure two-thirds of the way through January. It no longer seems inconceivable that 7 million could sign up by March 31st, as the CBO had originally projected.
Philip Klein adds a caveat:
HHS still hasn’t disclosed how many of those who have selected a plan through the health care law have actually paid for it, which is how insurers typically define enrollment.
Cohn’s analysis:
[T]he new figure does mean that people are using the system, in large numbers.
And while total enrollment is still short of what initial projections had suggested, the rate of enrollment seems to be right in line with what the experts, including government forecasters, had expected. A now-infamous internal HHS memo had predicted that a little more than 1 million people would sign up for coverage in January. The newly released data means that about 800,000 have signed up this month—and there’s still a week to go.
Sargent reviews Obamacare polling:
A solid majority thinks there are good things in the law, even if it needs changes, while barely more than a third supports the idea that it’s a disaster that must be eliminated entirely. The latter is driven almost entirely by Republicans. Among them, 69 percent support repeal, while independents tilt in favor of keeping it by 65-35.
One part of Obamacare that is proving popular:
A solid majority of Kentucky Republicans support the state’s decision to expand Medicaid under Obamacare, according to a new poll, standing in stark contrast to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s opposition to the provision.
The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky poll, reported by NPR-affiliated WFPL, found that 60 percent of self-identified Republicans said they support expansion. In total, 79 percent of Kentuckians agree with Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear’s decision to expand coverage to low-income people under the health care reform law.
The Dish 