Speaking from the Rose Garden Tuesday afternoon, President Obama touted 7.1 Obamacare signups. The deadline to signup was yesterday.
"The idea that everybody in this country can get decent healthcare, we are on our way," Obama said. "7.1 million Americans have now signed up for private insurance plans."
The President did not distinguish between first time health insurance holders and those who signed up due a loss of insurance under new Obamacare rules. He also failed to give a definition of "enrolled."
Obama argued Obamacare has made healthcare more accessible for millions of Americans and that the law has stabilized the insurance market for people who already have health insurance plans outside of the Affordable Care Act.
"This law has made our healthcare system a lot better," Obama said.
As a reminder, 70 percent of doctors plan to retire early thanks to Obamacare, leaving the country with a doctor shortage which will result is less care of poor quality. Premiums have also skyrocketed for the majority of Americans already insured.
"This law is doing what it is supposed to do. It’s working. It’s helping people from coast to coast," he said. "Under this law, the share of Americans with insurance is up, and the growth of health care costs is down."
Obama also took the opportunity to slam Republicans for their repeal efforts and berated "some people" who have spent millions of dollars on advertising opposing the bill. He also accused Republicans of "being mad" about people getting health insurance.
"The debate over repealing this law is over, the Affordable Care Act is here to stay," he said. "Why are folks [Republicans and Obamacare opponents] so mad about people getting healthcare?"
It should be noted the White House has spent nearly $1 billion taxpayer dollars advertising for the legislation.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who was the House Speaker when Obamacare passed, and Senator Dick Durbin were in the audience for Obama's announcement. He thanked them for getting the legislation passed back in 2010. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was also in attendance, but did not get a public thank you from Obama.
"We wouldn't be here today without them and they should be proud of what they've done," Obama said.
It's important to point out as the White House runs its victory lap with these new numbers that just a short time ago the White House claimed they didn't have a set goal for enrollments by the March 31 deadline as Dan wrote earlier.
It’s also worth noting that when it looked increasingly unlikely last January that the White House wouldn’t meet their self-imposed enrollment goal, the White House denied ever having one. Now, of course, after the enrollment surge last night, the administration is once again touting that same enrollment goal.
"Change is hard...overcoming something new is scary and hard," Obama said.
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