'Grace Period' For Health Insurance Ends Friday

SACRAMENTO (AP) — Friday will be the end of the grace period to get health insurance starting Jan. 1 for consumers who were frustrated in their attempts to sign up by Monday's deadline.

Santiago Lucero, spokesman for the agency running California's health exchange, says insurers need time to review policy applications so coverage can start in the new year.

The grace period was announced Monday after it became clear that thousands of people were unable to get coverage because the website and call centers were overwhelmed.

It applies to anyone who attempted to start an application Monday, although many people were not even able to get that far.

On Tuesday, Lucero encouraged people to keep trying to reach a call center, even if they could not prove their attempts to get coverage before the deadline.

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