Gallup: Exchanges Have ‘Generated Relatively Little Interest’ Among Uninsured

Gallup published a new poll Friday which shows that the people the Obamacare exchanges were designed to help, the uninsured, are mostly ignoring the sites.

Just 18 percent of uninsured Americans have attempted to use the exchanges in the five weeks since they opened. Slightly more, 22 percent, have tried among those who are uninsured and say they plan to buy insurance.

For the first two weeks of the roll out the White House eagerly spread the story that unexpected and overwhelming demand was responsible for the website issues. Various news outlets have since revealed problems with the rollout schedule which meant the sites crashed under as few as 200 people.

Gallup completely undercuts the claim of overwhelming popular demand concluding the exchanges have “generated relatively little interest or use among uninsured Americans — the primary target group…”

Of course it’s possible that negative press related to the roll out problems is keeping some people away. It’s possible the rush of customers the White House claimed had shut down the site may actually happen in the first two weeks of December if the site is working as promised.