What We're Reading: ACA Enrollment Falls Short of Estimates

Affordable Care Act enrollment has fallen far short of initial estimates. The final number of people who signed up for health insurance on the state and federal exchanges was 40% lower than earlier estimates, according to USA Today. The final 12.7 million who signed up is also well below the 2010 estimates for 2016 enrollment from RAND and the Congressional Budget Office: 27 million and 21 million, respectively.

Hacks of healthcare records were up 11,000% last year. Of the one-third of Americans whose healthcare records were compromised with criminals gaining access to valuable personal information, most were unaware, reported NBC News. While Social Security numbers go for $15, complete health records go for $60 each because they can be used to order prescriptions and even file false tax returns. And unlike credits cards, healthcare information cannot be canceled.

Despite being marketed to consumers, genetic tests are still not being widely adopted—and doctors are ok with that. STAT reported the results of a poll with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, which found that only 50% of Americans have even heard or read about genetic testing. Furthermore, only 6% have undergone genetic testing. A survey of physicians found that a minority had recommended patients get their genome sequenced, which may account for the low uptake among consumers.