U.S. says 3.3 million have enrolled in private Obamacare coverage

By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Obama administration on Wednesday said the number of people who have enrolled in private Obamacare health plans rose to 3.3 million from October 1 to February 1, providing new evidence that its effort to extend coverage to the uninsured is gaining momentum. Data collected from new health insurance marketplaces set up in all 50 states, under President Barack Obama's healthcare law, showed enrollment rising by 1.1 million or 53 percent in January and surpassing a government projection set before the botched rollout of the federal website HealthCare.gov. "We're seeing a healthy growth in enrollment," Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, told reporters in a conference call. Administration officials said the enrollment results bring to 9.6 million the number of people who have signed up for private plans or been found eligible for the Medicaid program for the poor since enrollment began on October 1.