Surge In Late Signups For Federal Health Insurance

A surge in signups — coupled with problems with the healthcare.gov website — slowed the process of signing up for insurance under the Affordable Care Act in Louisiana before the deadline expired Monday.

Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover said navigators there were booked with appointments through the final hours before a midnight deadline. Other cities reported a surge in interest as the deadline loomed Monday.

Monday was the last day for the uninsured to enroll in a health plan without paying an IRS penalty under the federal health care overhaul. But many states are offering a grace period into April for people who start applications but didn't finish them by midnight Monday.