President Obama is attending a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in Maryland tonight, but before that, he had the unenviable task of kicking off the latest enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act. Rather than make a public announcement from the White House Rose Garden, though, President Obama instead held a private conference call.
Today at the WH: Pres Obama spotlights start of new enrollment period for ObamaCare in conference call with sign-up personnel. No press.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) November 4, 2015
That left it up to Twitter and White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest to make the announcement.
Need health coverage? Find a plan that fits your needs and #GetCovered today → https://t.co/5r9E9h6WeU pic.twitter.com/4e67DLmtfI
— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) November 4, 2015
Earnest began the kickoff celebration early yesterday by announcing to the press that Obamacare was working better than anyone suspected.
Questioned yesterday about ObamaCare enrollment, @PressSec says the Affordable Care Act "is working better thus far than anybody predicted."
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) November 4, 2015
@markknoller Cool story @PressSec pic.twitter.com/h3buS9jrZI
— Yam Skinner (@YamSkinner) November 4, 2015
@markknoller @PressSec Besides skyrocketing premiums and deductibles, doctors not accepting plans and exchanges closing, it works great ?!?!
— Marvin the Martian (@the_kaboom) November 4, 2015
https://twitter.com/Roger247/status/661900200391278592
@markknoller @PressSec Seems like the bar was set pretty low on those expectations.
— Elizabeth Ducote (@educote) November 4, 2015
@markknoller @PressSec Flat out LIE. O'care epic failure: 1) latest round of price increases 2) collapse of more than half of state co-ops.
— Lauren (@Amcboxer1) November 4, 2015
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Earlier today, Fox News host Greta Van Susteren noted how The Washington Post had buried on page A6 the news that “More than half of Affordable Care Act co-ops out of insurance marketplaces.”
@markknoller @PressSec How in the hell is it better? My premiums are going up 65%? Premium for 2 people will = over $11.50 per hour (1/2)
— Wanda Patsche (@MNFarmLiving) November 4, 2015
About that …
As for health insurance premium spikes in some states, @PressSec says the overall average increase "is lower than we’ve traditionally seen."
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) November 4, 2015
@markknoller Wait, what? Did the @PressSec just admit that the gov't knew from the outset that Obamacare would be an abject failure?
— America Matters?? (@Kun_Tzu) November 4, 2015
.@markknoller @PressSec So they actually believed it would go down in a BIGGER ball of flames?
— All these changes & still no edit button. Guh. (@daganash) November 4, 2015
@markknoller Should we believe what @PressSec Is saying about ACA or reports of what is ACTUALLY happening out in the real world?
— Sick and tired (@AgnesSBaker) November 4, 2015
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