In a transatlantic conference call with supporters, health care navigators and volunteers, President Obama today claimed sign-ups under the Affordable Care Act (ACA, or Obamacare) have already reached 6 million even before the official deadline of March 31. (Navigators are paid to help people enroll in Health Insurance Marketplace policies.)
During the call, President Obama "thanked the group for all their hard work to date and discussed the importance of building on this progress over the last four days of open enrollment," according to the White House press office.
The congratulatory call follows an announcement earlier this week that those who have encountered difficulty signing up online can now check a box while on HealthCare.gov to seek an extension. So long as they then officially ask for an extension by April 15, they will be able to continue the sign-up process for an undisclosed period of time.
Before the launch of the marketplaces in October, the administration said the goal was 7 million enrollees by March 31, but that has since been reduced to 6 million due to troubles with the federal website and, though unstated, to conform with public-relations and election-year realities.