55,000 Montanans Sign Up on Healthcare.gov so Far in 2016

There are big deadlines this week for Montanans enrolling for health insurance on Healthcare.gov. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Spokesman Mike Fierberg explains.

"There are two deadlines people need to be aware of," said Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Spokesman Mike Fierberg. "The first is this Friday, the 15th of January. People need to complete their enrollment by this  Friday if they want to have coverage that begins on February 1, bu the open enrollment period will actually go through the end of this month, or January 31."

Fierberg says this open enrollment period has had a surge of Montana sign-ups and they expect another influx as the deadline approaches.

"We have a total of more than 55,000 people who have completed their enrollment in the marketplace, as of January 2. Things have actually been going quite well, that is a higher number than we had for all of the open enrollment in all of 2015."

According to Fierberg, just over 80 percent of Montana Healthcare.gov applications included government subsidies.

Those that do not to enroll before the Friday deadline, but choose to enroll before January 31, will not be covered during February. Coverage for those that meet the second deadline will begin on March 1.