March 31 is still the deadline for people to sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, but President Obama is reportedly opening a small window for procrastinators (mainly) who need a little extra time. The Department of Health and Human Services says the new extension is only for people stymied by the federal health insurance marketplace, HealthCare.gov, amid a surge in pre-deadline action — applicants who have started signing up will be allowed to finish the process without tax penalties, if they request an extension by sometime in mid-April.
The Washington Post's Amy Goldstein notes this little caveat, though:
Under the new rules, people will be able to qualify for an extension by checking a blue box on HealthCare.gov to indicate that they tried to enroll before the deadline. This method will rely on an honor system; the government will not try to determine whether the person is telling the truth. [Washington Post]
This rather large loophole is only for the federally run insurance exchange site, but some of the states running their own exchanges are either contemplating or have instituted similar windows for applicants experiencing technical difficulties.
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