Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) said the early stages of Obamacare implementation have been a "fiasco" Sunday on CNN's State of the Union.
McCain said the Obama administration "won't even tell us how many people have signed up."
Host Gloria Borger interjected to correct McCain, telling the senator the administration released data showing 475,000 people have enrolled.
However, Borger's data is inaccurate. An AP report shows 476,000 applications have been filed for Obamacare, but officials will not release the actual enrollment data:
Administration officials say about 476,000 health insurance applications have been filed through federal and state exchanges, the most detailed measure yet of the problem-plagued rollout of President Barack Obama’s signature legislation.
However, the officials continue to refuse to say how many people have actually enrolled in the insurance markets. Without enrollment figures, it’s unclear whether the program is on track to reach the 7 million people projecting by the Congressional Budget Office to gain coverage during the six-month sign-up period.
Kindly, McCain did not correct Borger, but rather reiterated the problems healthcare.gov is experiencing are indicative of the struggles Obamacare will have as the law attempts to restructure one fifth of our economy:
GLORIA BORGER: Well, let me switch for a moment to Obamacare which you mentioned before was ab secured ed obscured by the entire fight. there are huge problems with enrollment, rollout, et cetera. and i know you have fought the program as you were saying earlier. Is the administration being direct enough with the American people about the extent of the problems here?
SEN. MCCAIN: Of course not. They won't even tell us how many people have signed up.
BORGER: They said 475,000 have enrolled. Go ahead.
SEN. MCCAIN: I'm glad they finally came through with some -- I'm glad they finally came through with some information. Look, it's been a fiasco. Send Air Force One out to Silicone Valley, load it up with smart people, bring them back to Washington and fix this problem. It's ridiculous. And everybody knows that.