The number of people enrolled in private health insurance plans sold through Obamacare marketplaces has jumped by more than one third since December to 3 million, the Department of Health and Human Services announced this week. The administration did not say how many of the new enrollees are young adults who could offset the costs of older participants, or how many were already insured, but the data suggest that the marketplaces are recovering from their disastrous October launch. Experts expect a further surge next month, as people rush to meet the March 31 deadline for avoiding a penalty for not having coverage. The administration has set a target of 7 million enrollees this year.
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