The Obama administration has announced a two-day deadline extension for consumers to sign up for plans on the federal insurance marketplaces. Some states that run their own exchanges, such as New York and Minnesota, are also extending the deadline.
The Dec. 15 deadline has been pushed to Dec. 17 in response to overwhelming demand, said Kevin Counihan, CEO of Healthcare.gov. Those who are still trying to get insurance have until 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time to find a plan.
"Hundreds of thousands have already selected plans over the last two days and approximately 1 million consumers have left their contact information to hold their place in line," Counihan told USA Today in a statement. "Our goal is to provide access to affordable coverage, and the additional 48 hours will give consumers an opportunity to come back and complete their enrollment for January 1 coverage."
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The act of benevolence contrasts with the stricter policies the administration has announced recently in its attempt to get people to sign up for plans. In a blog post last week, Counihan said that those trying to enroll next year by the Feb. 15 deadline will not be granted an extension, as they were this past year.
Similarly, the administration has upped the fines that people who don't enroll will pay for not being insured. The average fine will increase to nearly $1,000 per family, according to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
The "unprecedented" rush of consumers seeking insurance suggests that the hardball tactics may have worked. Contrary to conventional wisdom, which held that those who still lack insurance two years after the PPACA's implementation would be the hardest to enroll, the Obamacare call centers received more calls in recent weeks than in any of the previous open enrollment periods.
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