ACA enrollment higher than expected

Kaiser Health News reported on enrollment in the health insurance exchanges established by the Affordable Care Act as roughly matching last year's enrollment. The numbers are not final since a few states have not yet closed enrollment. However, that the enrollment nearly matches last year's is surprising given that the White House halved the window for sign-up while slashing the marketing budget by 90%.

Interestingly, the current White House administration, a vocal critic of the Affordable Care Act, apparently "framed the outcome as the result of her agency's efficient use of government funding and as a sign of how staffers had created a strong, well-run website."

The comparable level enrollment suggests that there is strong demand for the insurance policies, and that the insurance marketplaces might be more robust than anticipated.