As Dec. 23 deadline for insurance sign-ups loom, HHS reassures customers

The Obama administration set a Dec. 23 deadline for shoppers to ensure they receive coverage by Jan. 1, 2014, a date that has many Americans skeptical. However, a recent statement from the Department of Health and Human Services reassured the thousands of customers still waiting to purchase a policy, as well as citizens who already enrolled, that their policies will be finalized before the due date, according to USA Today.  

After the Dec. 23 deadline, uninsured Americans will have until the end of open enrollment season, March 31, to pick a policy or face a steep fine. For those who do meet the Dec. 23 deadline, their first premium must be paid by Dec. 31, according to CBS Raleigh affiliate WRAL. However, although the Obama administration requested that insurance companies cover those who purchased policies without an initial payment, insurer compliance isn't required. 

Yet despite technical glitches that plagued the Heatlhcare.gov website at its rollout, missing customer information and back-end problems have largely been eradicated, causing many states to see an influx of enrollees in November, USA Today reported. 

As the deadline nears, many wonder if the federal exchange site will be able to support the number of applicants. In addition, questions linger as to what course of action insurance companies will take for enrollees who have yet to pay premiums by the end of the year.