16% Dropped Out Of Health Coverage

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration says nearly 2 million people have dropped their health insurance through the Obama-era law after sign-up season ended Jan. 31. That's a 16 percent dropout rate.

As of March 15, about 10.3 million were signed up and paying their premiums, according to figures released Monday by the Health and Human Services Department. That's 1.9 million fewer than the 12.2 million originally signed up for 2017 through HealthCare.gov and state markets offering subsidized private insurance.

The Trump administration says the dropout rate is more evidence that "Obamacare" is failing, but the insurance markets lost customers when Barack Obama was in office — about 13 percent last year.

Some canceling coverage do so because they get a job-based insurance, but HHS said nearly half cited cost as the reason.