Community Corner

POLL: Will Obamacare Meet Enrollment Goal?

Numbers released this week reveal enrollment to date is far short of target.

The problems with the Healthcare.gov website have not surprisingly had a negative impact on enrollment to date.

The White House had projected 500,000 people would enroll in October, however fewer than 27,000 actually selected a plan on the problem-laden federal website, which is handling enrollment for 36 states. Furthermore, the enrollment numbers released by Health and Human Services include people who have chosen insurance plans, put them in "virtual" shopping carts, but have not yet paid for them.

"Only in Washington could placing an item in a virtual shopping cart -- without even buying it -- count as a sale," Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said according to a NBC report. "If private businesses used that standard, online retailers would be poised to announce their best earnings season in American history."

Including enrollments on the state-run exchanges, just over 100,000 Americans selected plans in October, far short of the stated goal.

In order to meet the target enrollment of seven million by March 31, 2014, an estimated 68,000 people per day will need to sign up for health care. Without that many enrollees, the system will not take in enough money to meet financial outlays.

The low enrollment numbers have put Republicans on the offensive. 

"This has been an embarrassment and maybe a disaster," former GOP House Speaker Newt Gingrich told CNN's Jake Tapper. "Why are you going to trust people this incompetent with your health?"

Will enough people sign up by the March 2014 deadline to meet the Obamacare enrollment goal? Do you believe the program will take in enough money to cover outlays? Leave a comment below or vote in our online poll. Note: This is not a scientific poll. It is for entertainment purposes only.

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