Gov't report: More than 12M signed up for 'Obamacare'

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government says more than 12 million people have signed up for coverage this year under former President Barack Obama's health care law, even as the Republican-led Congress debates its repeal.

The official national figure of 12.2 million does not include an additional 765,000 people signed up under an option in the Obama-era law called the Basic Health Plan, which is used by two states, New York and Minnesota.

Traditionally, that figure has been reported separately because of differences in the type of health plan provided. But counting those enrollees as well, sign-ups approach 13 million people.

"This report is a reminder that while there's a big debate in Washington about the future of the Affordable Care Act, the law remains in place for now and is covering millions of people," said Larry Levitt of the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. The report was issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which also administers the ACA's insurance markets.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Paul Ryan was stressing that President Donald Trump helped congressional Republicans write their beleaguered health care bill. His comments came as GOP leaders struggled to stem defections from conservatives and moderates just a week before he hopes to push the measure through the House, and days after congressional budget analysts said it would lead to 24 million more uninsured people in a decade.

The GOP bill – the American Health Care Act – would repeal major elements of Obama's law, cap future federal spending on Medicaid for low-income people, and reverse tax increases on wealthy Americans used to finance coverage expansion.

Conservatives say the bill is an inadequately weak repeal of "Obamacare." Party moderates say it will push too many constituents off coverage, including Obama's expansion of Medicaid for more low-earning people and others who've bought insurance – often with federal subsidies – on government-run online marketplaces.