WASHINGTON — The numbers are out, and they indicate that more people in the WTOP listening area have signed up for insurance under the new federal healthcare law, otherwise known as Obamacare. But, as the numbers rise, so do accompanying problems.
More than 29,000 people in Maryland have now signed up for insurance through the state’s marketplace, with the so-called Silver Plan the most popular, according to the latest report from the Maryland Health Connection, which is the official state online marketplace for health care plans under the new law.
Also in the report:
But the numbers come as the exchange is still experiencing problems and the federal program, Maryland lawmakers say, remains millions of dollars over-budget.
Republican Congressman Andy Harris, who represents the 1st District in Maryland, has called for an investigation into federal funds spent to fix the exchange and the website, which he says is going to cost Maryland tens of millions of dollars.
Meanwhile, the The Department of Health and Human Services says close to 3.3 million people have enrolled in the marketplace since the October 2013 launch.
But at the same time, The New York Times reports that one in five who have signed up have so far failed to pay their premiums so they did not get coverage in January.
Thomas Warren, WTOP News reporter, contributed to this report.
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