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Open Enrollment For Affordable Care Act In Maryland Ends Today

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- As Obamacare continues to face threats of getting repealed, open enrollment under the Affordable Care Act comes to a close in Maryland on Friday.

According to our media partners at The Baltimore Sun, about 150,000 people in Maryland have signed up for insurance in 2018 under the law. That's the same number as last year. The state extended the enrollment period by one week after initially agreeing to a shortened, 45-day period set by the Trump administration.

Almost nine-million Americans have signed up for health coverage in 2018 through HealthCare.gov. The number almost reaches last year's total.

While the health law will remain unchanged during the new year, a provision in the federal tax bill would end the financial penalty for going without health insurance in 2019. Analysts say this could undermine the law if young and healthy people skip coverage and cause rates to rise for those who remain insured. Independent analysts say millions of people could leave the marketplace. Insurers have already raised rates after federal officials stopped some subsidy payments to them.

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