This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utahns who want health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act starting Jan. 1 now have a few more days to sign up.
That deadline was Thursday, but the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Friday that it is extending it to 10:59 p.m. MST Monday "because of extraordinary volume of consumers contacting our call center or visiting healthcare.gov."
The high volume of calls and web traffic meant some consumers had to wait in line, a news release said, and the additional days will allow those people "to enroll on the timetable that is most convenient for them before the deadline."
The act (ACA) created online insurance marketplaces that allow consumers to find the best plan to fit their needs by comparing prices and networks.
They also can qualify for federal tax credits that help reduce the overall cost of coverage.
As of Dec. 10, more than 4 million Americans had signed up for insurance on the exchange, a number that includes 90,042 Utahns, according to CMS data.
"Our goal is to provide affordable coverage to everyone seeking it before the deadline, and these two additional business days will give consumers an opportunity to come back and complete their enrollment for Jan. 1 coverage," said Kevin Counihan, CEO of the Health Insurance Marketplace.
For coverage that does not begin Jan. 1, Utahns have until Jan. 31 to sign up.
For free assistance, Utahns can contact an insurance agent at utahinsurancedepartment.com, or talk to a Take Care Utah expert at takecareutah.org or by calling 211.
Twitter @alexdstuckey