With health law in jeopardy, more than 12M still sign up

WASHINGTON -- More than 12.2 million people have signed up for coverage nationwide this year under the Obama-era health-care law despite the uncertainty created by President Donald Trump's vow to repeal and replace it.

A count by The Associated Press shows many consumers returned to the program despite its problems. Aside from the political turmoil, those difficulties include a spike in premiums, rising deductibles and dwindling choice of insurers.

Although initial enrollment is about 4 percent lower than last year, the sizable number of signups illustrates the risk Republicans face as they begin moving to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and put in its place a yet-to-be-defined conservative approach.

AP's analysis showed a clear majority of those enrolled -- nearly 64 percent -- live in states Trump carried in November.

"If they are going to replace it, it had better be as good or better than what is there, and if it's not, I think it's going to cost them," said John Chipman, a drummer from Austin, Texas, who's also covering his wife and their two children.

This year, the family scaled back from a "silver" plan to "bronze" to avoid a big premium increase. But without the health law, Chipman said he and his wife probably would be turned down for health insurance because of pre-existing medical conditions.

The federal Health and Human Services Department reported last week 9.2 million people signed up in the 39 states served by the HealthCare.gov website, which offers subsidized private health insurance to people who don't have job-based coverage.

AP checked with the remaining 11 states and Washington, D.C., and found an additional 3 million enrolled, for a national total of 12.2 million. A full national report from the government won't be available for at least another month.

Under the health-care law, the nation's uninsured rate has fallen to a historic low of about 9 percent, with about 20 million people gaining coverage since its passage in 2010. In addition to the subsidized private plans available through HealthCare.gov and state marketplaces, the law offers states the option of extending Medicaid to cover more low-income adults.