Behind health law's 'growing pains,' more serious problems?

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama told insurers this week his health care overhaul has had some growing pains.

The medical term refers to when patients, often youngsters but also adults, fail to achieve or maintain proper weight.

Of those, the administration has estimated that nearly half would be eligible for private coverage through insurance markets like HealthCare.gov, where most consumers qualify for subsidies.

[...] the Affordable Care Act has actually cost taxpayers less than what nonpartisan congressional experts estimated when it passed.

Medicare chief Andy Slavitt, who oversees the health care law, says part of the problem is that insurers set their premiums too low and are now having to correct that.

[...] if higher premiums cause some consumers to drop out, or turn off prospective customers, the remaining pool will be more expensive to cover.

The cost of covering low-income beneficiaries through the law's Medicaid expansion also has increased faster than expected.

In a worrisome sign, the survey found fewer customers than in previous years saying that overall, their plans are a good value for what they pay.

Major government and private surveys have found fewer people struggling to pay medical bills, coinciding with the law's coverage expansion.

Insurers that have suffered steep financial losses are scaling back participation, and many consumers, particularly in small cities and rural areas, face reduced choice.