UnitedHealth Group Inc. said first-quarter profit fell 7.8 percent, hurt by cuts to its Medicare Advantage program for elderly and disabled Americans.

The government hopes the newly public data on physician payments will help control costs in the $604 billion Medicare system by pressuring doctors to be more concerned about the price of the drugs they use.

Doctors denounced the accuracy and value of data listing $77 billion in Medicare payments to 880,000 medical providers, while consumer and industry groups said it could make the health-care system more cost-effective.

UnitedHealth Group Inc. and Humana Inc. are among the carriers that will see their base government payment rate reduced 4 percent next year for Medicare Advantage programs for elderly Americans.

Enrollment in Medicaid, the government health program for the poor, increased by 3 million people in February from October, the Obama administration said.

Health Net Inc. and insurers in at least 14 states will let consumers who missed open enrollment sign up for health plans in April, a private online marketplace said, in a move that may help attract younger customers.

The first phase of Obamacare ended Monday much the same way it began: The federal website drew millions of visitors and crashed at least twice.

WellPoint Inc. fires a surprising shot across regulators' bow by predicting it may ask for double-digit-plus increases.