Despite the federal marketplace's numerous technical issues, the Obama administration recently announced 1 million people in Florida signed up for health insurance benefits through the site, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
The news source reported the official number is 983,775, and the state ended up having higher enrollment than it had anticipated. According to USA Today, more than half of the sign-ups happened within the last six weeks of the open enrollment period. The Times reported this surge in sign-ups caused the state's enrollment numbers to double in just March alone, giving Florida the third biggest leap in enrollment in the nation during this time frame.
"One million Floridians are breathing easier as affordable health insurance that was previously out of reach now provides financial security," Rep. Kathy Caster, D-Tampa, said about Florida's strong enrollment numbers, according to the Times. "Despite political obstruction and scare tactics, Florida and Tampa Bay navigators and health care outreach partners successfully aided scores of our neighbors."
About 27 percent of sign-ups were from young Floridians by the end of the enrollment period, the Times reported. Only 20 percent had enrolled by January.