ObamaCare enrollment climbs higher

Nearly 6.8 million people have selected a plan or re-enrolled at HealthCare.gov since Nov. 15, federal health officials announced Wednesday.

The latest figures show an increase in roughly 163,000 plans between Jan. 3 and Jan. 9. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was gearing up for another sign-up rush ahead of Thursday, the cutoff for coverage that begins Feb. 1.

HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell also emphasized the final enrollment deadline for avoiding a penalty for 2015: Feb. 15.

“Nearly 6.8 million Americans have access to quality, affordable health coverage for 2015 through the federally facilitated health insurance marketplace,” Burwell said in a statement.

“There are just over four weeks before the February 15 deadline and the end of open enrollment. For those who are thinking about getting health coverage, take a look at your options on HealthCare.gov or contact the call center.”

A total of 8,768,448 applications for insurance coverage have been submitted on the federal exchange since Nov. 15, and more than 18 million people have visited HealthCare.gov. HHS is shooting for 9 million enrollments by Feb. 15.

Burwell continued to emphasize the financial assistance available to many consumers on the marketplaces. Some exchanges, including California’s, have started to center their messages on the individual mandate penalties.