Administration officially extends deadline for health insurance sign-up

The AP reports that "previously you had to sign up by the middle of February, guaranteeing that your coverage would take effect March 1, in order to avoid fines for being uninsured."

USA Today: HHS Issues Formal Insurance Deadline Clarification
People who have purchased insurance by March 31, even if they are not covered by their plans until May 1, don't need not file a waiver to avoid paying a fine for violating the individual mandate law under the Affordable Care Act, according to new guidance released Monday by the Department of Health and Human Services (Kennedy, 10/28).

The Associated Press: White House OKs Limited Waiver On Health Policy
The move had been expected since White House spokesman Jay Carney promised quick action last week to resolve a "disconnect" in the implementation of the law. It comes as technical problems continue to trouble the website designed as the main enrollment portal for people who don't get health care at work. As a consequence, Republican lawmakers, and some Democrats as well, are calling for a one-year delay in the penalties most Americans will face starting next year if they remain uninsured. Monday's action by the administration stops well short of that, and amounts only to a limited adjustment (Alonso-Zaldivar,10/28).