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The White House has extended healthcare enrollment as a huge flurry of consumers rush to weigh their options before the previously stated March 31st deadline.

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L.A. Times reports:

The Obama administration plans to allow consumers to complete enrollment for health insurance under Obamacare after next week’s deadline as long as they declare that they started the process before the end of the month.

Officials said they were making the move now in anticipation of a last-minute rush of consumers seeking health insurance ahead of the March 31 deadline. On Monday, more than 1.1 million people visited HealthCare.gov, the second-largest traffic day on the site, the White House said.

Consumer advocates have been urging the administration to provide additional time to prevent people being shut out of coverage because of last-minute problems. But officials repeatedly had said they would not waive the March 31 deadline. They continued to say Tuesday that the new extension for some consumers did not contradict that.

“Open enrollment ends March 31. We are experiencing a surge in demand and are making sure that we will be ready to help consumers who may be in line by the deadline to complete enrollment — either online or over the phone,” Health and Human Services spokeswoman Joanne Peters said.

Republicans quickly criticized the decision. “Another day, another Obamacare delay,” said Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus.

How much extra time consumers will get remained uncertain Tuesday.

Read more at L.A. Times.