Young people urged to sign up for ObamaCare

by Elise Viebeck - 01/26/15 3:31 PM ET

ObamaCare activists are mounting a new push to encourage young people to sign up for the marketplaces by Feb. 15, the deadline for buying health insurance this year.

Thursday will mark the second annual National Youth Enrollment Day, with activist groups scheduled to hold roughly 200 sign-up events around the country.

“With so many millennials qualifying for discounted health plans … it is critical that we provide our peers with every opportunity possible to get covered during this final stretch,” said Jen Mishory, executive director of Young Invincibles, in a statement.

The initiative is a joint effort of Young Invincibles, Enroll America and several other organizations. Enrollment fairs will take place in at least 20 states at schools, malls, fitness centers and locations where young people gather, according to a media advisory.

The push also involves a new digital campaign intended to bring users to HealthCare.gov and the state-based exchanges. Through coordinated hashtags and Twitter chats, activists hope to generate discussions about health insurance online.

The Obama administration and its partners are shifting into high gear in the last three weeks of the enrollment period.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is aiming for 9.1 million paid enrollments for 2015 and hoping to reduce the uninsured rate among Latinos, African Americans and young people.

Activists said Monday that most young people are expected to sign up in the final weeks before Feb. 15. HHS announced last week that the number of plans chosen had crossed 7 million.