White House: Health law sign-ups top 11M

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 11 million people signed up for subsidized private health insurance under President Barack Obama's law this year, the White House announced this evening.

But that preliminary estimate — 11.4 million people — comes with a couple of asterisks:

—The final number could grow because the administration is offering a grace period for people who started applications — but couldn't finish them — before last Sunday's official deadline. They have until Sunday.

Also, Democratic lawmakers are pressing Obama to grant a second chance to sign up for uninsured people facing tax penalties.

—The final number could shrink if consumers who've enrolled for 2015 coverage don't follow through by paying their share of premiums.

"The Affordable Care Act is working," Obama said in a White House video. "It's working a little better than we anticipated. Certainly, I think, working a lot better than many of the critics talked about early on."

Last year, 8 million people had initially signed up. But by fall, just 6.7 million were still in the program. Some of those who left found other coverage, through a job for example.