Obama promotes health exchanges ahead of kickoff

With just five days to go before Americans can begin signing up for health care under his signature law, President Barack Obama on Thursday ridiculed Republican opponents for "crazy" doomsday predictions of the impact and forecast that even those who didn't vote for him are going to enroll.

President Barack Obama is promoting the benefits of his health care law before new insurance exchanges open for business next week. The White House says Obama will explain Thursday how Americans can comparison shop for insurance that meets their needs. He plans to tell an audience at a community college in Largo, Md., that they'll have lots of options, including plans that are affordable on a variety of budgets.

A six-month enrollment period for the exchanges starts Tuesday. The Obama administration needs millions of Americans - especially young, healthy people - to sign up in order to keep costs low for everyone.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who wants the law repealed, dismissed Obama's planned speech as "happy talk." He said skeptical Americans were tuning Obama out.