Archives: Morning Breakouts

The health law "has made our broken system a lot better," the president says in a Rose Garden ceremony marking the end of the enrollment period and the announcement that 7 million people signed up for coverage on the marketplaces.

Though March 31 is increasingly viewed as a somewhat soft deadline, it's come and gone amidst last-day technical troubles. In its wake, lots of analysis and speculation about where the ultimate tally -- now estimated to have topped 7 million -- may fall, as well as how many of those new enrollees were previously uninsured and how many will pay their premiums.

As the health overhaul's first open enrollment period drew to a close, states experienced triumphs as well as tribulations -- whether they were running their own websites or using the federal exchange. News outlets offer updates from California, Florida, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, Wisconsin and Kansas.

Following the official end of the enrollment season, some outlets turn their attention to the upcoming issues surrounding the law.

The demand for Gilead Sciences' Sovaldi, which costs $1,000 a pill, indicates how hard it is for insurers to curb the use of life-saving medicines. Meanwhile Humana names a former Goldman Sachs executive as finance chief.

At 49 percent public support, the health law reached a new high in the latest ABC/Washington Post poll, while criticism of Barack Obama's handling of the law's rollout- although still substantial- has eased. However, Republicans believe that they can use voter frustration over the measure in the upcoming election.

Federal officials took the healthcare.gov marketplace offline twice to deal with problems that surfaced under the heavy use.

The newspaper's tally draws on state and federal enrollment reports, surveys by consultants and interviews with insurance and government officials. Meanwhile, insurers and others intensify efforts to sign up young customers.