AUGUSTA, Maine - Nearly 60,000 Mainers have enrolled in plans on the health care exchange.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday that 59,126 Maine residents had signed up for coverage as of Friday. The open enrollment session began Nov. 15 and extends through Feb. 15.
Thursday is the deadline for people to get insurance starting Feb. 1.
Federal officials say that at least 163,000 people nationally signed up last week. That brings the total to nearly 6.8 million people in 37 states, including Maine, where the federal government is running the new health insurance markets.
During the first six-month enrollment session last year, more than 44,000 Mainers enrolled in coverage on the exchange.