By Midnight Tonight, 9.5 Million Previously Uninsured Americans Will Have Basic Health Insurance: "Ah, The Smell Of Victory!"

With public sentiment now shifting, and a slim majority of Americans declaring that they are either neutral on, or in favor of Obamacare (as opposed to those who want to see a major Republican-led overhaul of the ACA of 2010, or an outright repeal) -- we may safely say that when the dust settles -- and all the last minute signups are complete. . . Obamacare will have exceeded its targets.

That in turn means he has acheived the greatest expansion in health insurance coverage in at least fifty years (but it is over three-quarters of a century -- if one strips out military family benefits enhancements, granted not too long after the second world war ended). That also means that millions of children who have never had health care coverage may now go see a doctor for well-care. The economic benefit -- system wide -- to preventative health care, from an early age, is incalcuably vast. A bit -- from the Chicago Tribune this morning, then:

. . . .President Obama's healthcare law, despite a rocky rollout and determined opposition from critics, already has spurred the largest expansion in health coverage in America in half a century, national surveys and enrollment data show.

As the law's initial enrollment period closes, at least 9.5 million previously uninsured people have gained coverage. Some have done so through marketplaces created by the law, some through other private insurance and others through Medicaid, which has expanded under the law in about half the states.

The tally draws from a review of state and federal enrollment reports, surveys and interviews with insurance executives and government officials nationwide. . . .

And, overall, big pharma, via PhRMA, is behind the initiative -- it will offer the companies far more customers. And ones who are able to pay (at least a sensible amount) for prescription drugs. This is a bull-market day for pharma, biotech and life science companies in America. Now we get about the small details of fine-tuning the health care reform measures -- to work better, in the more unusual cases -- the oddities and outliers. Do stay tuned.

[NCAA bracket update: With Mr. Obama's Spartans tumbling on Sunday, and my 'Gators hanging tough -- I can now tie him, if the 'Gators win it all. Any other outcome, and he beats me by 5 to 30 points. Should be hilarious here at the end -- but UConn will fall to Florida. Bank on that. And in the title game, I still like Florida -- over all others.]