Though many people without employee benefits have selected health plans through the state or federally facilitated exchanges, a substantial number of them haven't paid their first month's premium, according to a recent report.
As of April 15, only two-thirds of Americans who utilized the exchanges to secure coverage have paid for their coverage, based on data compiled, reviewed and released by the U.S. Committee on Energy and Commerce. This means that many people who go to a doctor to seek treatment may find that their insurance will not provide for medical services rendered.
U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, chairman of the commerce committee, noted that a key piece of information about the enrollment numbers has been missing, namely how many people have actually paid for their policies.
"In a sad reversal away from its vows of transparency, the Obama administration, from inside the Oval Office on down, has gone to extraordinary lengths to keep basic details of the health law from the public," said Upton. "Tired of receiving incomplete pictures of enrollment in the health care law, we went right to the source and found that the administration's recent declarations of success may be unfounded."
He added that increased transparency should enable lawmakers and consumers in general to get a better idea of how the law is working and what issues need to be addressed.
In April, President Barack Obama announced that 8 million people had signed up for coverage through the various health marketplaces. Recently, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released its official numbers, corroborating that this is how many people signed up during the open enrollment period.
HHS noted that among the 8 million, close to 28 percent were between the ages of 18 and 34. Supporters of the Affordable Care Act have noted that young people are a key demographic for the health reform program to be sustainable.
