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Obamacare Designer Ezekiel Emanuel: Citizenry Not Well Informed
Tuesday, March 11, 2014 10:40 PM
By: Greg Richter
Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, one of the architects of the Affordable Care Act, says part of the blame in low signups lies with a lack of information for potentional enrollees.
Appearing Tuesday on Fox News Channel's "The Kelly File," Emanuel pointed to a recent McKinsey study that said many people didn't sign up because they were unaware of subsidies that make coverage more affordable.
"That's an information problem, and we obviously have to go out and sell this better," Emanuel said.
The government released figures earlier Tuesday that 4.2 million have signed up for healthcare coverage under Obamacare. That's far short of the 7 million the White House said it needed by the March 31 deadline.
But Emanuel said the numbers aren't bad, considering that the Healthcare.gov website didn't function correctly for the first two months after its rollout. He predicted more than 5.3 million will be enrolled as last-minute sign-ups roll in.
Host Megyn Kelly asked whether the multiple delays in portions of the law are political.
Emanuel dodged the question, saying "I have not been party to their decisions." He is no longer a White House adviser.
Kelly challenged Emanuel, saying that he has in the past said he thought the delays were for political purposes, to help Democrats in the midterm elections.
"I was in the flow of conversation," Emanuel responded. "I have said very clearly I don't prefer the delay as a policy matter."
