This is a guest post by Enroll Nebraska intern Sally Henry.
As we pass the halfway point of open enrollment, there is an unprecedented amount of usage of the healthcare.gov website and call center. According to an article from USA Today approximately 1 million people have left their contact information to hold their place in line.
Wait times at the call centers ranged from two minutes to an hour or more on Monday. This is the busiest period healthcare.gov has experienced since enrollment periods started three years ago.
Because of this surge of people seeking health coverage, the Obama administration announced a two-day extension of the previous deadline to sign up for health insurance plans that take effect January 1st. The new deadline is Thursday, December 17th at 11:59 p.m. PST.
If you’re still looking for coverage or know someone who is, you can connect with an Enrollment Assister who can offer free help enrolling in an affordable health plan by visiting enroll-ne.org/local or by calling 2-1-1, United Way of the Midlands’ services referral center. You can also go on healthcare.gov to start an application today.