More Fits, Failures for Obamacare with New Year

New signs of trouble are already popping up for Obamacare in this new year.

Because of the failed website launch and a last minute crush to sign up before Jan. 1, thousands if not millions of health care enrollees aren't even sure they have insurance.

Applications haven't been processed and insurance companies say they've received thousands of faulty applications from the government.

Dr. John Venetos, a Chicago gastroenterologist, said there was "tremendous uncertainty and anxiety" among patients calling his office.
 
"They're not sure if they have coverage. It puts the heavy work on the physician," Venetos said. "At some point, every practice is going to make a decision about how long can they continue to see these patients for free if they are not getting paid."

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of potential Medicaid recipients in 36 states are also in limbo. The federal website that was supposed to send their applications to the states failed to do so.

The White House says 2 million Americans have now signed up under the new health care law, but that's way short of the goal of 3.3 million by the end of 2013.