The White House is downplaying expectations for the first day of the Affordable Care Act's insurance marketplaces.
In recent weeks, senior administration members have begun predicting that there will be relatively few takers on Tuesday, when tens of millions of Americans will, for the first time, be able to sign up for new insurance options. That means the date, which has long been circled on health-policy calendars in the administration and across the country, actually represents a "soft launch."
"October will be light for enrollment," White House Deputy Senior Adviser David Simas said. "Some people will sign up. November will be a little better. December, when people can sign up and know they get coverage in a week or two weeks, will be better than the previous month."