Respectable Results For 3rd ACA Sign-Up Season

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration says 12.7 million people have signed up for private insurance or renewed coverage under the president's health care law, respectable results for a program still in political jeopardy.

Expectations were low when 2016 open enrollment started on Nov. 1. Premiums were rising, and many of the remaining uninsured were considered skeptics about getting covered.

The 12.7 million sign-ups reported on Thursday falls right in the middle of the administration's projection of 11 million to 14 million initial enrollments through HealthCare.gov and state-run counterparts.

The ultimate goal is customer retention. And Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell set a target of 10 million consumers enrolled at the end of the year.

With this cushion, the administration seems on track.

Republicans are still vowing to repeal "Obamacare."