Obama asks supporters to save health care plan

BATTLING BY ANECDOTE

Both the White House and Republicans are battling by anecdote, inviting Americans to share their Obamacare testimonials.

The White House is promoting stories of people who have saved money on insurance or found coverage for the first time, such as "Lucy from Texas" who said the plan helped her "save $2,300 a year on my premium alone."

Not to be outdone, Senate Republicans set up a website where Americans who have been dropped by their insurance companies and face higher costs or a change in doctors can upload a video to YouTube describing their experience.

Obama himself told the story of a Lexington, Kentucky, man who saw his insurance costs reduced sharply under Obamacare.

"I'm asking all of you to go out there and share these stories far and wide," he said.

Republicans, on the other hand, circulated a report that said administration officials had held private discussions expressing fears that the next story to emerge from the Obamacare rollout would be disappointment from consumers over higher insurance prices and limited choices once they are able to get on the website.

INSURANCE PLANS CANCELED

Obama said those people who have their insurance plans canceled by insurance companies will find better quality healthcare through the federal system. He added a clause to his oft-quoted comment that if people like their plans they can keep them.

"What we said was, you could keep it, if it hadn't changed since the law was passed," he said. "But if the insurance company changes it, then what we're saying is they've got to change it to a higher standard."

Obama and other administration officials are also traveling around the country to promote the new law particularly in cities with high rates of uninsured people. Obama will spend time with volunteers in Dallas on Wednesday who are helping people sign up for health insurance.