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Obama Offers A Fix For Those Losing Health Plans

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Stung by several blunders surrounding the Affordable Care Act, President Obama on Thursday offered a message to millions of Americans upset about losing their existing health insurance policies.

If you like you current plan, you can keep it--at least for another year.

"We fumbled the roll-out on this health care law," the president said. "I completely get how this can be upsetting for a lot of Americans."

In addition to the disaster surrounding access to the federal health care website--it has been largely unusable--the president has now been forced to reverse on his past message that "if you like your health care plan, you can keep it."

The problem is that millions of Americans are getting cancellation notices because their current plans don't meet requirements in the new health law.

About 5 percent of Americans--or 4.5 million people--are affected.

The president's promise that nothing would change troubled people like Steven Kraemer, when he received a letter detailing big changes.

"We were satisfied'' with our plan, Kraemer said. "We were surprised [when his family got a notice they had to change their plan.] I voted for him, but I think he blew it."

So today President Obama offered a fix.

"I hear you loud and clear," he said.

People can now keep those plans for 2014, and if they like the new offers, they can change. So, for now, they have a choice.

"I'm satisfied with the fix," Kraemer said.

While Kraemer may be satisfied with the president's offer, the association representing insurance companies has concerns.

In a statement the association said: "Changing the rules after health plans have already met the requirements of the law could result in higher premiums for consumers."

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