HHS: 6 million sign up for Marketplace coverage beginning Jan. 1

About 6 million people signed up for health coverage at HealthCare.gov through Dec. 17, including 2.4 million who were new to the Health Insurance Marketplace, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell reported Friday. Dec. 17 was the deadline to enroll in coverage beginning Jan. 1, but open enrollment in the Marketplace runs through Jan. 31. “We're reminding Americans that in-person assistance is available, that tax credits help lower the cost of coverage, and that if someone chooses not to buy health insurance and could afford to do so, they're at risk of paying a $695 fee or more,” Burwell said. “We know millions more Americans remain uninsured, and we're encouraging them not to wait.”