Deadline Nears for Minnesota Health Plan Signups

 ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Enrollment in Minnesota's new online health insurance exchange is growing as the signup deadline nears.

MNsure reports more than 53,000 Minnesotans have chosen a plan and a payment method. That number includes private insurance as well as MinnesotaCare and Medical Assistance.

The new number is about 14,000 more than mid-December, when the total was nearly 39,000.

Tuesday is the final day to enroll for a plan in time to have coverage when the new year starts. The deadline had been moved from Dec. 23 to accommodate consumers struggling to navigate the clunky website.

People who sign up by Tuesday have until Jan. 10 to pay their first month's premium. Those who miss the pre-Jan. 1 enrollment deadline have until the end of March to pick a plan before facing penalties.