Deadline for HealthCare.gov coverage that takes effect January 1st extended to December 17th

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration says consumers will have two more days to sign up for HealthCare.gov coverage that takes effect January 1st.


Kevin Counihan, CEO of HealthCare.gov made the announcement Tuesday night, citing "unprecedented" consumer demand.

The new deadline is Thursday, Dec. 17, at 11:59 Pacific time. The original deadline for coverage effective at the start of the year had been midnight Tuesday, Pacific time.

HealthCare.gov is the online portal to subsidized private health insurance in 38 states. Some states running their own websites, including New York and Minnesota, have also announced extensions.

The final deadline to sign up for 2016 coverage and avoid rising fines for being uninsured is Jan. 31.

President Barack Obama's health care law offers subsidized private insurance to people who don't have job-based coverage.

Milwaukee is competing against 19 other cities to lower the uninsured rate, and President Obama will travel to Milwaukee if we win.

You can learn more about the challenge and Milwaukee's participation here.

 

Healthy Communities Challenge leaderboard, through five weeks of Open Enrollment: