HHS Secretary In NJ To Push Health Insurance Enrollment Ahead Of Next ...

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MONTCLAIR, N.J. (CBSNewYork) - A critical deadline is fast approaching for federal health care enrollment.

As WCBS 880′s Alex Silverman reported, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was on the campus on Montclair State University on Monday to urge those who are uninsured to sign up for coverage under the Affordable Care Act before the March 31 deadline.

'We don't intend to move that date,' Sebelius said. 'We are urging people to take advantage of the next eight days to go ahead and sign up.'

Those who fail to sign up for health insurance by next Monday will not be able to enroll until next year and will have to pay a penalty on their taxes, Silverman explained.

The penalty is typically 1 percent of your income, Silverman reported.

Montclair State public health professor Lisa Lieberman said there are exceptions to that.

'If they turn 26, for example, and they go off their parents' plan, if they get divorced or married,' said Lieberman.

She added this final effort to get the word out is key since millions still have not signed up for health insurance.

'It's taken a while for people to begin to understand that they are not purchasing government health care, they're purchasing private health insurance,' Lieberman said.

Critics have wondered whether enough young, healthy people will sign up to pay for it all. The push this week is geared toward them, Silverman reported.

'A 27-year-old earning about $25,000 in New Jersey can find a plan for as little as $114 a month. My guess is they can't find a cell phone plan for $114 a month,' said Sebelius.

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