The National Journal reported on Tuesday that President Barack Obama’s claim that 3.3 million people have enrolled in Obamacare–a figure less than half the 7 million for which the White House originally aimed–is significantly inflated.
“The actual number of Americans who gained insurance through the law is much lower than the 3.3 million the White House is claiming,” reported the National Journal. “The numbers released by the Health and Human Services Department include many people with insurance who were forced out of their previous individual market plans onto the Obamacare exchanges.”
The National Journal added, “It also includes those who signed up but never paid for insurance–which makes up about one-fifth of those enrollees, according to a New York Times analysis.” Based on the Times‘ figure, just 2.6 million people have signed up for Obamacare, a number that represents just 37% of the Obama administration’s 7 million target.
Furthermore, no one knows for sure how many of those 2.6 million individuals already had health insurance but were forced to obtain coverage through Obamacare after the unpopular program caused their plans to be canceled.
The Obamacare debacle continues to drag down the President’s dwindling approval rating. According to Gallup, just 42% of Americans now approve of the job Obama is doing.