Congress decides which staffers will go on Obamacare

Members of Congress this week were required to determine which Capitol Hill staffers must join the new Obamacare marketplace and which can stay on their federal insurance plans -- a decision that like most other Obamacare developments has been politically loaded.

The Affordable Care Act requires members of Congress and their staff to join the new market, but staffers that spend more time working for leadership offices are exempt from the rule. It's up to lawmakers to decide which staffers fall under that exemption. Some Republicans have argued that if Americans shopping for insurance on the individual market must use the new Obamacare marketplaces, all of Congress should be on the marketplace as well (even though they already receive employer-provided insurance).

Given the political nature of the issue, some members of Congress -- including House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. -- are putting all of their aides on the new marketplace, the Associated Press reports.

While Congress gets its staff on Obamacare, the administration and its allies are busy encouraging others to join. Enrollment on HealthCare.gov -- the website that serves as a portal to the new marketplace for consumers in 36 states -- has been low because of the significant technical problems on the site. In fact, CBS News has learned, just six people enrolled on Oct. 1, the day the site launched.

To boost enrollment, the administration is asking those already enrolled to vouch for the new marketplace. Two people enrolled in Obamacare confirmed to the AP that the administration has asked them to share their stories on HealthCare.gov. "I think it's important to show them that you shouldn't hide from being honest and being sincere and talking about something that you believe in," Deborah Lielasus of Portsmouth, New Hampshire told the AP.

Meanwhile, the pro-Obama advocacy group Organizing for Action on Friday launched a website called Health Care for the Holidays, encouraging people to talk about the new health care marketplace with their family.

"This holiday season, millions of Americans have a chance to get quality, affordable health insurance--many for the first time," the website says. "If you have family members who are uninsured, you can play a big part in helping them find coverage that works for them. It might not always seem like it, but your family listens to you. So have the talk."